The Education of Richard T. Beck 1973: Bullies

The Education of Richard T. Beck 1973

Bullies

Most bullies need an audience. Get a bully one on one and they are moles, pussies. Here's one of my stories that happened my junior year in at Coatesville High School.

I was on the baseball team. One senior, John, picked on me mercilessly. John and his pal Carl even threw gravel at my car one day leaving school. The main reason they picked on me was because I was so straight. I didn't do drugs or drink. I wore my hair short at a time when being loved by ones peers meant wearing bell-bottoms and long hair.

For me, everything was baseball. My hero was Pete Rose, Charlie Hustle. That's who I modeled my game after. They nicknamed me Arnold the Pig from the TV show Green Acres and Narc because I didn't smoke pot. By the way, John was one of Coach Paul Chenger's team captains. Says much of Chenger as a judge of character.

I waited and waited and waited to get John one on one. Then, one day after practice I was late showering and getting dressed. Everybody had gone. And here I am walking out of the locker room passing aisles of lockers and guess who is at their locker all by himself sitting on a bench. John.

I say, "Hey John, you got something to say now? There's no one here but you and me. You got somethin' to say?"

John lowers his head and says, "No." He knew he was on the verge of getting his ass kicked.

I say, "What?"

He says, "I got nothin' to say."

I say, "Oh, you ain't nothing but a punk, right?" John said nothing.

Well, the next day Carl (another team captain) starts jiving on me in the team room.

Carl says to John, "What do you think John?"

I look John straight in the eyes. John didn't say a word in fact to this day he eats shit when he sees me and with a big smile says, "How you doin' Rich?" He tried to friend me when I went back up on FB. Fuck you John.

This happened 48 years ago and I have not forgotten it. I still see John and Carl around.