Tuesday, September 02, 2003
Before Bussing.
In much the same way that I wonder if, for society, progress is progress, I wonder if, for me, growth is growth.
Barbara McCarty was the cutest freckle faced, knobby kneed little girl in the third grade when I was in the fourth. I think she liked me too because she went out of her way to pass my house in the mornings so I could walk with her. After school, we walked together kicking the fallen leaves from the sidewalk in the late fall. I liked her best on Brownie meeting day when the brown of her uniform complemented her hair and eyes.
We say kids are cruel. They can be but never more so than when imitating adult behavior. When adults are cruel, we say they're acting childish. That's wrong; they're acting mean. One day, not a Brownie meeting day, Barbara wore the beanie anyway and I didn’t ask why. I just smiled at her as usual after school and started down 8th Street. My other playmates began to taunt her and point and when she shrunk from them and ducked, I stepped up.
I’m a large man now but was not overly large as a grade-schooler and I was not a fighter either but I got between the boys and Barbara and waved my arms around and no, No, NOed.
That week, we had all been inspected for ring worm and notes with results sent home and Barbara had a section of her scalp shaved. The boys wanted to see if she looked like a monk with the headwear removed. I was curious too but not if it was going to make her cry so I would not allow it.
The boys wanted to know why I would spoil their fun. My answer was clear. I told them it was not nice.
I'm proud that Little Johnny took a stand against meanness and for niceness.
Would that Big John could consistently act on those principles, but society has progressed and I have grown into one who too frequently turns away from someone who is different and will not take a risk to protect against meanness.
