Theme of the Week 6 – When was a time that you stood up for yourself?

If I had to pick one defining moment would be in grade five.  Three of us were walking home, and one friend hit the other with his backpack giving her a nasty gash over her eye.  A few hours later while we were outside; minus her, a car pulled up, and her father grabbed me and started slapping demanding I apologize while asking how do I like being hit in the face.  My friend; his daughter, was screaming that it wasn’t me who had hurt her.

By the time I made it home my face was black and blue.  My mom didn’t get mad.  She at first didn’t believe me that an adult wrongly accused me and just beat the crap out of me.  After hours and having a friends parent who witnessed it talk with my mom, she finally thought something might have happened.

My parents went to the assailants’ house to discuss what had happened.  I wasn’t allowed to go because “this was an adult thing”.  When they returned home, they believed I had assaulted my friend and can no longer see her or step on their property.  Shockingly, I was also told that I had to take a different; and much longer, route home because the regular route walked past her house and I may see my friend.

I got furious and demanded they call the cops and press charges, their son had just been assaulted, and I get punished.  They refused.  I refused and took my usual route home. Every day, there he was waiting at the edge of the driveway, watching me, telling me I need to watch myself because he would have no problem giving me the beating I deserve.

One day, my friend and I decided to walk home together.  We really missed each other and just wanted to spend time together.  As we got closer to her house, she suggested that we split. I said no and kept walking.

Her father charged at us, pulled his daughter behind him and told me he was going to beat me.  I told him if he did, this time the cops would be called, and there are photos and written statements from witnesses of what you did before, including you knew I hadn’t hurt his daughter.  He want’s to hit me he can go to jail.  I held my breath and tensed up ready to get smacked.

Instead, he grabbed his daughter by her arm and dragged her into the house while shouting that I needed to leave.

From that day forward he watched me pass by from the porch, but he did get to his daughter, and she never spoke with me again.

I learned a few things from this:
1. It’s very important to stand up for oneself
2. I can’t count on anyone for any form of help
3. My parents don’t care about me enough to protect me

That moment changed how I see the world and those around me ever since.