School Yard Fun Time

"Hey, nerdling!  I hear your mama has a killer boyfriend!"

David Roper just wanted to walk back into school.  He thought walking outside after his lunch would help clear his mind.  He wanted so much to think about the game he was inventing, To Crown a King, but instead he was filled with thoughts about his mother and that creepy boss of hers.

At first it was just his problem.  He was glad his mother had found a job, working at the same firm as Captain Creepo, but then he had to show up around her after work hours.  Wasn't the guy married or something?

He was friendly enough, the few times he saw him.  He just didn't like his smile, and he wasn't big and strong like his father was.  Although he was big and strong enough to possibly hurt Mom like his father did.  And who knows?  The police think he killed a guy. So with the right weapon, anyone was strong enough.

The only reason they were living in this godforsaken town, in a crappy trailer in a rundown trailer park, was to avoid the monster his Dad had turned into.  She ran away with David and the clothes on their backs, ran so she wouldn't suffer again.  And here was another man, one who looked like a dweeb but might be a killer.

"Where you going, gameboy?" sneered Skipper Reese, blocking his way.  He was skinny and mean, and even from five feet way, he reeked of cigarettes.  He stood there with the Gorland twins and a couple of other bullies.  Most were from the trailer park he lived in.  They loved to tease him without mercy.  "Yeah, we heard about your stupid game, To Bop a King, or whatever.  You are such a wasteoid."

"How...how do you know about that?"  David was upset.  He didn't want to have to discuss his game with these Neanderthals who could barely read.

"We overhead your tubby little girlfriend, Dona, simpering about it to one of her little friends while they were sitting outside their trailer," answered Skipper.  They were all chortling.  "Man, that butterball really has it for you, don't she?  Makes her fat cells jiggle you do, don'tcha?"

My god, it was one thing for them to be nasty towards him, but picking on Dona was low.  "Stop talking about Dona like that!  What is wrong with you people?  Just let me back inside the school!"

Roland Gorland came up to him, inches from David's face.  "Just let me back into the school!" said Roland, with a mock whine.  "Oooo, please, don't be mean!  Please. Please, let me go, before I wet my panties!"  The whole group lit up with derisive laughter.

David stood his ground.  He couldn't win a fight.  There was nothing to do but stand and take it.

The other Gorland twin, Sammy, took Roland's place.  "So your Mama digs that killer boyfriend, huh?  She just loves the way he curls his little body up against hers?"  David started to quiver, but he set his jaw hard, and his eyes turned to steel.

Skipper added fuel to the fire.  "Will he kill for her?  Is that how Rondy Strickland got blown away?  Did your Mama ask him to do it?  Or did her killer boyfriend just get jealous?  Maybe Rondy maybe a pass at your whore mother!"

David shot out his fist before he could think, before he could stop it.  He smacked Skipper on the jaw, leaving Skipper in shock and David's hand tingling and sore.  He hadn't thought about how to hold his hand and his thumb throbbed like it had been broken.

Roland jumped in, pushing David hard and was getting ready to wail on him.  Somehow, as Roland approached him, he managed to trip Roland so he fell hard to the ground.  He instinctively stepped on Roland's back so he couldn't get up.  "Leave me alone!" he shouted, long and angry and loud. 

Roland at first seemed trapped, but suddenly he used his weight to flip around.  This caused David to waver and fall, but he fell right on top of Roland, and started to wail on him.  It was like a character from To Crown a King, using what little skills he had to diminish the hit points of his opponent.

As David began to wail on Roland, increasing the pain in his hands, he fleetingly wondered why the rest of the bullies didn't join in and beat the living crap out of him.  He wondered that until he was suddenly pulled up and way by somebody.  He turned around to defend himself, and saw that he was staring into the face of Vice Principal Roger Harley. 

Vice Principal was a big man, a former state champion heavyweight wrestler.  Even the most vile, delinquent kid fell into line when faced with Vice Principal Harley.  "Stop it, boy!  You've done enough.  It's time to cut it out!"

The rest of David's tormentors scattered, except for Roland, who lay moaning on the ground.  "I don't know what came over that guy!" asserted Roland, as he tried to pull himself up.  "We were just trying to get back to class when he just started wailing on me for no damn reason!  I think he's got mental problems or something."

Vice Principal looked over at Roland with a skeptical eye.  "Yeah, Roland.  You and your pals are as innocent as babes. I want you to go to my office and wait.  I'll deal with you in a minute."

"But I'm innocent!  I didn't do nuthin'!" Roland protested.

"Son, you ain't been innocent since the day the doctor slapped your behind.  Now git!"

Roland scrambled off, leaving David with the imposing figure of Vice Principal Harley.  He hovered over him like a large oak tree.  "Look, son, I don't know your name, which given what I do at this school isn't necessarily a bad thing.  What's your name?"

David was shaking, even more than he did with the bullies.  His hands felt like pulp, sore and red.  His left thumb throbbed.  He feared it really was broken.  "D-David.  David Roper," he gasped out his answer.

"Well, Mr. Roper, you have put me in a fine mess.  I didn't see what was going on until you pinned that Gorland boy.  That meant all I saw was you wailing on him.  I know these boys are the Devil's brood, but I got to go by what I seen.  And what I seen ain't good for you.  I'll take you to the office and write you up.  I'm afraid you're gonna have a five day in-school suspension."

David tried to choke back tears.  "Does...does my mother have to know?"

"Yes, she does.  That's just part of the deal, Mr. Roper.  Knowing them other boys like I do, I can't say you were 100% wrong.  But there are consequences to our actions, even though sometimes it's the only thing we feel like we can do."  He put his hand on David's shoulder.  David winced and the Vice Principal withdrew his hand. "Try not to walk alone out here, if you can help it."

No.  Even through his pain, David rejected that notion.  No one gets to be crowned king if they cannot stand up for themselves.  "I have a right to walk where I want to!"

That surprised Vice Principal Harley.  The boy had even more fire than he thought.  "Well, yes.  Yes, you do.  You have that right.  And you also have the right and ability to use some common sense once in a while."

David didn't know what to say.  He was beginning to feel weaker, barely able to stand.  "Where do you want me to go now?" he asked.

"Come on.  We'll go to my office, get this ISS set up."  ISS was short for In School Suspension.  They started to walk back towards the school.  "Mr. Roper, those moves you put on that boy to pin him like that.  Where did you learn that?"

"I-I don't know, sir.  It just came to me."

"Hmmph," the Vice Principal guffed.  "Son, have you ever thought about...wrestling?"