I don't remember her real name. Could be Sarah, Cindy, Sally.... It is sad really. Let's go with Sally.
Sally started Rossville mid term. She had a broad forehead and very large far sighted glasses that made her eyes look like vast pools. She was instantly known solely as Tweety Bird from that point out. At first, I felt badly for Sally. The teasing was much the same as what I had endured when I was new. I am shamefaced to say that part of me was relieved to be left unnoticed for a while.
Things continued at a tolerable level until a girl, I will call Ella, to disguise her real name, ramped it up a notch. Ella, Sally, Ella's friends, and I were in the locker room after PE. I heard Ella proclaim loudly that Sally stank personally and badly. I had noticed no odor, but she swore it. Sally started to cry and ran to the toilet stall area of the locker room. Then Ella followed her into the bathroom, peeked in at her, and reported what she saw to the other girls. Who then in turn reported it to the most viscious boys in our school. The poor girl went from being Tweety Bird to a more horrible name.
I did nothing. Nothing at all. I watched. Cringed. Refused to be a part of it. But that all added up to
NOTHING.
Moving back to Lafayette brought me back in contact with Rossville people again. My dentist went to school with me in my class. But being around them again brought up the painful memories of Ella and Sally. There is nothing to be done about it now. Sally left after one semester of that nonsense and I've not seen Ella. But it made me think of places and ways I can stand up now. What I have come up with is making sure the homeless that come to my church for warmth and doughnuts are greeted in a friendly way and included. Donating to charities that fight for justice and stave off hunger. I hope that I have become a person that stands up and fights for justice for the downtrodden.
The hardest parts of our past and most shameful memories can make us that much better as people if we face them and learn from them.
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Unknown
March 6, 2013 at 11:10 PM
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Oy Veh! How I relate to this post!!! Years ago I looked up the name of a classmate and called to repent to him and ask his forgiveness for standing by while people teased him mercilessly. I did try to stop them once or twice, but was ridiculed and teased that he was my "boyfriend," so I shut my mouth. They also teased his little brother. They eventually left our school, and went elsewhere, and I pray that they were treated better. He seemed very gracious at the time when I called, and I still think of him occasionally, and ask the Lord to continue to heal his heart, because I know that we wounded him greatly.
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