by Eric Goudie

Created on: November 11, 2009

The following article is based on actual events.

A day in the life of the average middle school outcast bully (we'll call him AMB for short) begins late, as it does for most tweens. His alarm clock goes off at 7:15, but it isn't until 8:20 that his mother finally comes in and drags him out of his bed in a panic.

She's frantically running around trying to get AMB's three younger siblings ready for school and day-care. She's just come off of the night shift at work where her boss and half her fellow employees constantly harass her and she's just spend the last hour on the phone screaming at her ex while trying to make breakfast, change diapers, do the laundry and decide what items on the grocery list they can make do without this week.

AMB heard every four-letter word his mom hurtled at his dad - he's called him all those things himself, though he wasn't around to hear them. His dad moved away two years ago, met a lovely young girl, got married and now has a brand-new family with which he's determined to "get it right this time."

But no time for that now - the bus is coming down the road and he hasn't even gotten dressed yet. His mom quickly throws yesterday's jeans and a sweater at him as she tosses his lunch in his schoolbag, filled with homework that he didn't bother to do. The other kids are waiting at the bus stop, the bus is slowing down, she gives him a quick kiss and sends him practically flying out the door, only to have him causally saunter up to the bus, making everyone else wait for him. It's only when the bus is well on its way that AMB and his mother realize that he didn't get any breakfast.

The bus driver screams at AMB for taking so long to get to the bus stop. The bus driver knows the kid is a trouble-maker, and the only way to deal with him is in a very loud voice. AMB shows no emotion as the entire bus holds its ears, then goes and sits beside one of his "friends."

This "friend" is actually one of his victims. Another outcast, they appear on the surface to be friends, and sometimes they even think they are. But AMB knows that his "friend" will squeal like a girl if he gets pinched or poked, so that is exactly what he's going to do to him until they get to school or he gets caught and screamed at once again.

AMB is the last person to enter class, just as the bell stops ringing. All morning he looks listless in class, barely paying attention and hardly touching his work. He steals the pencil case from the nerd who sits across from him because

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>