Re: Being Bullied
I came to Canada when there were very few "brown" people here. It was a time when the african americans and the caucasian would put aside their differences and band together to pick on the "pakis".
I lived in a terrified state as I was called names, picked on and bullied almost everyday. I remember walking home from senior kindergarten one day. Actually it was running home cuz I was being chased by a group of 5 or 6. I made it to the back door of my apartment building but didn't have a key as it was usually hanging open. With nowhere to go I had no choice but to turn around and face the music with the bullies and their mob mentality followers that had barricaded themselves behind a snowbank. The next thing I knew I was being bombarded with snowballs. They came faster and harder. I tried to return fire but there really was no way that I could have competed.
I looked up at the second floor where ammi was usually watching for me from the window. She was there.....but she couldn't do anything except yell at the attackers who were so loud in their own battle cries that they didn't hear her threats.
In that instant the door to the building swung open as someone was leaving. I screamed, "Hold the door!" and ran for it. I was in tears...leaning on the closed door behind me and panting to catch my breath. I was frozen and remember sobbing feeling so sorry for myself.
I ran up the stairs cuz there were too many people in the lobby and letting them see me in this state was just not an option.
As I reached the door to our apartment I saw ammi standing there with an angry look on her face. Looking for sympathy I cried louder and wanted to fall into her arms but before I could get close enough to her she whacked me one right across the cheek. I don't think it really hurt cuz I was pretty frozen by now anyway. LOL. If it did hurt I don't have any recollection of the pain. What I never forgot were her words, "The next time someone hits you once, you stand up to them and hit them back 10 times so they learn not to mess with you again!"
In time I have learned to temper that advice but i have not forgotten it.
Will I teach my child to do the same? Absolutely.
Will I teach her in the same way? Probably not.