***** Bullying is the use of force, threat, exclusion or coercion to abuse, or intimidate aggressively toward others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual in an event to overpower another.
***** Although I attended a Catholic parochial school which should have made bullying null and void, it did not. As the only Latino child in an all anglo school, my ethnic difference provided a great deal for students to use against me. Bullying comes in many colors and ethnic backgrounds; perhaps, one day it will be erradicated.
While on vacation in Grenada, we decided to drive around downtown which could be quite a challenge. Suddenly, I was overcome by the sight of a man sitting on the sidewalk.
“Stop,” I shouted.
Startled, my husband stopped the car assuming he was about to hit something or someone he hadn’t seen.
I said, “Look,” while pointing to this man. “Please!” “You’ve got to find a place to park.”
He drove a bit and found a parking spot.
Since we were unfamiliar with the downtown area, we had to walk several streets in search of where the man had been.
I thought I should purchase one of those shells he was selling since he looked like he was in need of a sale.
Eventually, we found him.
He was unaware I was standing next to him until I said, “Hello, I see you have some shells for sale.”
Tear filled hazy eyes glared at my me. I felt sucked in by his sadness. He was dirty with a profound odor of the unsanitary kind. It was the type of odor you knew was from a lack of any type of facilities. Yet, I felt compelled to talk to him. In one hand he had a cup of rum; the other hand held a blunt, doobie, marijuana joint. Drugs!
After briefly talking about his shells, I told him, “I noticed he was drinking and smoking marijuana at such an early morning hour.” It was 10:00 a.m.
He said, “There’s no set time for me to kill my pain.”
I didn’t dare ask what his sorrow was.
I asked, “Does it help your pain?”
No words were said. Just a tilt of the head in my direction with a curved smile that led me to believe he didn’t think I’d understand.
We spoke for a short time.
I handed him the money for the shell with a little extra. I recommended he use it for food or shelter. I told him to keep the shell so he could sell it to someone else.
As I began to walk away, he took another puff from his big sweet scented herb and shouted, “Pretty Lady” …
I turned.
He continued, “Someday, when you get to heaven, say hello to my angel. I know you’ll meet her there. Tell her, I’ll be with her before long.”
*****In 2015, an estimated 1,670 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States. In 2015, Children’s Advocacy Centers around the country served more than 311,0002 child victims of abuse, providing victim advocacy and support to these children and their families. info:wikipedia
For more information click here: http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/media-room/media-kit/national-statistics-child-abuse/
Rochelle hosts the Friday Fictioneers challenge
to join in click here
to read other entries click froggy button
~~~~~
*****Social anxiety disorder also called social phobia involves overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. The worry often centers on a fear of being judged by others, or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or lead to ridicule.
Anxiety disorders can cause such distress that it interferes with your ability to lead a normal life.This type of disorder is a serious mental illness. For people who have one, worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be disabling. But with treatment, many people can manage those feelings and get back to a fulfilling life. info:web md
***** My brother was born with this illness. Although his jar wasn’t filled with batteries, the photo immediately brought him to mind.
***** Hydrocephalus (from Greek hydro-, meaning “water”, and kephalos, meaning “head”) is a rare medical condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. This causes increased intracranial pressure inside the skull and may cause progressive enlargement of the head if it occurs in childhood, potentially causing convulsion, tunnel vision, and mental disability. It was once informally called “Water on the brain.” information from wikipedia
One day, the parish priest came to visit the 4th grade class.
He asked the pupils, “How can you tell when night has ended and day has begun”.
”Could it be,” asked one of one enthusiastic student, “when you can see an animal in the distance and tell whether it’s a sheep or a dog?”
“No,” answered the priest.
Another student asked, “Is it when you look at a tree in the distance and can tell whether it’s a fig tree or an apple tree?”
“No,” answered the priest.”
“Then when is it?”
The pupils were anxious to know.
“It is when you can look upon the face of any man or woman and see that they are your sister or brother. Because if you cannot see this, it is still night.”
********************
Everyday, we encounter people from all walks of life. Some who feel like kindred spirits and some who feel like strangers. It’s easy to accept those we view as being ‘one of us’.
However, we feel a separation and fear of those whose lifestyle are at odds with our own. We can identify with our family, our gender, our country of origin, our religion and assume that every person who fits into those categories will agree with our point of view. It isn’t necessarily so.
********************
I stumbled across this homeless man while I was on vacation. Many tourists passed without a glance his way. He was selling shells. He had an unsanitary odor, was drinking alcohol at 11:00 a.m. and smoking something that had a distinct fragrance.
I stopped.
I stopped because, as a child, I was taught by my Dad that we should help those who have less than us. Often, he would take us to an area in New York called the Bowery. There were homeless people there. He’d park the car and take us kids for a walk among them. They were scary for a child. He would ask them if they’d eaten. He would purchase some hot dogs or sandwiches. He would give us the food to give to them. Then, he’d give them money. Always saying, “ Don’t give up hope. Tomorrow will be a better day.” They’d say, “Izzy, thank you for not forgetting us. You’re a good man.” I felt a sense of pride for my Dad.
On the drive home my Dad would say, “These people don’t want to live this way. Life can bring hardship on you without any notice. You should always help those less fortunate than you. God is watching you and will know if you’re a good and caring person to those in need.”
That day while on vacation:
I stopped because this homeless man was in need.
I stopped because I knew I could give him hope if I helped him.
I stopped because in spite the way he looked, he was a human being.
Of course, he was shocked that I had stopped and was talking to him. Afterwards, he wanted me to take one of his shells with me. I paid him for it but told him he could sell mine to another tourist. Smiling I said, “I’m happy I was just able to talk to you today.”
His eyes filled with tears. He said, “ Pretty lady, I know you’re an angel. No one sees me sitting here. You did. When you go back to heaven, I hope you’ll see my beautiful wife and tell her I miss her.”
