HOW I BEAT THE TOWN BULLY

This is a story from the past when I was 13 years old.

Heard there was baseball being played about a mile away in a neighborhood I had never been to before. When I arrived [on my bike] they were playing baseball and I asked to play.

Then one of the kids ran to a nearby house. The town bully came out! This kid was age 14 [I think] and had beaten up several other kids. He was plain mean.

He demanded to know why I was in his territory. I told him I did not know he lived here. He told me I had to fight him. I said I was just there to play baseball. But of course he insisted.

Now I would rather get beat up then to run away from a bully-would you not agree--[talking to the males reading this]

But then I had an idea.  I was a fairly good football player and knew how to fall down without getting hurt.

There was a house being constructed with a basement being dug out. There was a very steep incline to the bottom.  I moved over near the dug out basement.

The bully started hitting me with his fists--he was very good with his fists. But I tackled him and threw us both over and down the incline.

Over and over we rolled but he ended up on top.  But he was dazed and quickly I was on top.  I did not want to hit him but knew if I let him recover he would likely beat me up. I hit him twice in the face and he did not fight back. [ I did not hit him hard]  After two hits he said "Please stop hitting me, I've had enough}  That was the end of the fight. The kids looking on were a little amazed. I rode my bike home.

A few months later I was lifting weights in the garage of our home.

He came by-he had found where I lived.  But he was friendly this time. He said if we did it again he would win. I said "sure'

[guess I had earned his respect]