Every neighborhood, school or institution, and every generation has at least one bully at some point in time. St. Agnes was no different! Into the school came this very big kid, really large for his age. He was placed in our group. We called him BULLY because that's what he did! He was two or three hands taller than everyone, and was fat and heavy; with huge arms, legs and neck. He used to go around bullying all us little kids and always had something smart, or mean, or intimidating to say. He would push kids out of his way and say things like;

Get out of my way, and I better not catch you in it again! or "When I tell you to run, you just ask me how fast and BEAT-IT! or, From now on, now that I'm here, you Bird Brains are going to do what I say! Put a move on!

He really was a big bully and didn't care if you liked it or not! He would challenge anyone to a fight whenever he damn well pleased. Of course, no one would take him up on it 'cause he was so big, if he fell on you, you would get hurt! Since I was the best fighter, he would pick on me especially. He was arrogant and hateful, and all the kids resented him more and more each day. He looked like a white FAT ALBART. His attitude was, I'm not going to go away, so TOUGH LUCK!

In time, I decided I had enough of this big bully! On this day, he started to pick on me and I challenged him to a fight. He said, Why you pip-squeak, I'll chew you up and spit you out like bubble gum! . When all the kids realized that I intended to fight the bully, they all began to cheer, Hooray! Benjie is going to fight the big fat bully! and the cheers made me braver and braver. Believe me, we looked like David and Goliath and him spitting insults at me. We were down stares in this huge playing area called the "Fellow's Room". All the kids formed a human circle around us, as was the customary practice when two kids were fighting. Yeah! Come on Benjie, come on!; they yelled.

To my surprise, I began to win right from the start. You see, he was so heavy, sloppy and slow; and he couldn't hit me cause I was too fast for him. I would run in and throw three or four blows and jump back and the kids would yell with joy. I gave him a real good shot to the face and the kids were in ecstasy! They laughed and taunted the bully and called him names. Then something happened that no one expected. One of the kids to his rear came in and slapped him on the back of the head. As he started to turn to face that kid, I slapped him the same way. Every time he turned to face one kid, another kid would jump in with a slap. I kicked him in the butt. Another kid punched him in the side. Then I gave him a hard solid punch to the jaw, and the kids went absolutely WILD! You big fat steamroller, they yelled, screaming 'till it sounded like a football game. In fact, we were playing football with his head!

The bully realized he couldn't win, so he finally said, "OK, I give up! You win." The kids started clapping and yelling like freed slaves, Hooray! Benjie beat the big fat bully! They were laughing and jumping with joy! I warned him to stop bullying the kids, or we'd fight again! I became the "hero of the block!" The bullying stopped and, when he came around me, he wouldn't dare say a word."And the kids lived happily ever after!" ............ so to speak!

From "The Feliciano Family" thanks to Peter Feliciano