Reviews from

Rocky

Names have not been changed in order to expose the guilty.

12 total reviews 
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

The scratched face deserves a sixth star!
Very well written. Good work.
No errors (that I could see), entertaining, motivating ...
Makes me want to go to a political rally!
Best wishes.

 Comment Written 14-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 14-Mar-2022
    Your review made me laugh! Thank you for that, and thank you for the six stars? And for your encouragement and great review! Thank you for lots of stuff! :-) Hugs.
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2022
    Your review made me laugh! Thank you for that, and thank you for the six stars? And for your encouragement and great review! Thank you for lots of stuff! :-) Hugs.
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

You did a great job with your contest entry, Leann. I enjoyed reading it. You put readers right there in the midst of it all. Your words were descriptive and well chosen. The fight scene was well written. I'm thrilled with the outcome, though it was sad for you to think no one liked you etc. But, you showed them, right?
Best wishes in the contest.
Respectfully, Jan

 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    I always have been the kind of person who has stuck up for the underdog, because my aunt had severe developmental delays. I hated it when people were mean, and I struggled with trying to figure out why these girls were being so mean to me. I always try to be nice to everyone.

    Thank you so much for the encouragement, and thank you for reading and reviewing. Hugs.
Comment from royowen
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Isn't it amazing what one can be like when one tries, I was never subjected to bullying really at school but can remember "incidents" I was good at sport, my girls were popular, as are my grands, so I'm glad in many ways, Thame you Leann, for these marvellous words, well done, blessings Roy

 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    I was not used to being bullied, as I was a leader among my classmates. I could never figure out why these girls targeted me other than the fact that I was much smaller than all of them. At first, it really hurt my feelings, then I just got mad. :-)

    Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Hugs.
reply by royowen on 12-Mar-2022
    That's the way to go
reply by royowen on 12-Mar-2022
    A leader
Comment from Gypsy Blue Rose
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Rocky
by Leann DS


Exceptional entry for the True Story Contest. You described the horror ride to school and your bullies so well I could see it...I was there with you. I'm glad you stood up for yourself and they never bothered you again. Good luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    Thank you so much. I appreciate your encouraging review and comments, as always. Hugs.
Comment from Begin Again
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

You can stand at the top of the stairs with hands raised in the air for every young girl who felt the same pain (including me) that they put you through. It's strange how we do forget who we are and let others twist things and make us feel insecure. I for one salute you for standing up and fighting back!

Hugs, Carol

 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    After I graduated from high school, Mary and I shared a best friend. His name was Dean. Because of this, she and I got reacquainted. Since then, she has apologized to me for the way she treated me back then. Her home life was not very good and her mother encouraged her to be a bully. It has given me a new perspective on the bully. But yeah? I was pretty proud of myself back then. :-)
Comment from WalkerMan
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

There are three ways to defuse a bully.

The most common way is to realize that most bullies are actually cowards who can get away with their fear tactics only until you hit back. That is why many bullies bring buddies along to appear more formidable. Humiliate the bully, and his or her "gang" will fade away. You did very well by becoming angry enough to strike back unexpectedly and without relent until the teacher intervened. He clearly was on your side, wisely giving you enough time to be convincing, but not enough to do real physical harm. That left the bully wondering how much worse it might have become, had the teacher not stopped you. The fact that you won despite the size difference is a good part of why other victims considered you their hero, and the rest was because all bullying then ended permanently from that group. Brava!

The second way is rare because the opportunity may not occur -- an occasion when the bully is nearby but not making trouble, and you spontaneously do something nice for him or her, not as appeasement, but just as fairness in the situation. Doing so forces the bully to look at you in a different way, which may alter his or her view of your personality. Essentially, you are rising above the fray, which prompts respect. This method worked for me in fifth grade, when the bully and my best friend both asked for the same favor, and I chose him -- not to appease, but simply because he asked just a second or two sooner, and both of them knew that. All I did was be fair, and he spontaneously said he'd never "bother" me again, a promise he then kept without having to avoid me.

The third way is when you have to do something for a superior at work who is known to be a perfectionist about everything and very harsh when disappointed. One like that assigned me such a task and demanded to know exactly when I'd be done. I said, "Two days"; he replied, "Why so long?"; so I said, "One day to do it, plus the next day to look at it cold, test every aspect of it, and fix any errors. That way you won't come back to me dissatisfied later." Then he said, "Two days it is, and don't be late." An hour before the deadline, I handed it to him. He looked at it and said, "I didn't ask for these extras." So I said, "That's true, but I knew you'd want them later, and it was easy to include them along the way; so I put them in and tested them too, as they did not delay me." He sent a note of praise to my manager, and he smiled every time we saw each other after that. The same principle applies to doing custom work for a client, such as the authors I help to publish.

I enjoyed your superbly written true story. :)) -- Mike

 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    Thank you so much, Mike, for your very thoughtful comments. This situation as written above, was actually my first experience as a victim of bullies. It was a great learning experience, although painful at the time, and it helped me when raising my children. My son employed the second strategy you wrote about to deal with bullies himself, and it worked great! The man still admires him today.

    Thank you also for the six star rating. I humbly appreciate the honor. Have a wonderful weekend.
reply by WalkerMan on 12-Mar-2022
    You are most welcome, Leann. Your post is not only catharsis for you, but also a public service to inspire others who have had such an experience. Accordingly, it well earned the sixth star.

    Most bullies acquire that trait in childhood at home, where they are abused psychologically, physically, or both. They are made to feel ugly, stupid, and unworthy of love and respect; so their only way to feel above the lowest rung on life's ladder is to bully someone else into some form of submission.

    (Putin is trying to do that to Ukraine, and their so far successful resistance is driving him wild. He may be ill and fearing his time will run out before he can achieve his goal of re-creating an empire akin to the Soviet Union, so is desperately trying to accelerate the process. That makes his nuclear arsenal a threat to all life on Earth, as he might become deranged enough to express his frustration before dying by launching his nuclear missiles indiscriminately.)

    You found your inner strength, and later passed that on to your son, giving him the calm confidence to use the second method before the violence of the first method became necessary. Good for him!
Comment from karenina
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Congrats on your milestone 200th post! Woo-hoo!

I am so ticked off I don't have a six left for this!

Some bullies wrestled them from me down by the gym lockers!

This is so good!

Exactly the "me" I wanted to be back in the day... When the girls at the popular lunch table tripped me... When someone cut six inches of my braid off in a crowded hallway...
When....

Only I never stood up to them.

Nobody ever called me Rocky.

I have spent the rest of my life raging against Marylou and Debbie (with an "i")

You go girl!

Karenina



 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    Thank you so much for your lovely review and appreciation for the story. I'm so sorry that you were also a victim of bullying. It is such a painful thing to happen. The scars left really never go away, do they? I have another story, so far unwritten, when I was bullied but did not fight back. We all have reasons for reacting the way we do, and all of them are OK.

    I wish you freedom of forgiveness and peace. Hugs and blessings.
reply by karenina on 12-Mar-2022
    Your story is a moral victory for me as well! So glad you stood up to them!
Comment from Liz O'Neill
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

In my forthcoming autobiography, I say the disclaimer that the names have been changed to protect the guilty. Interesting, we both are considering the same issue. I'm attacking 18 messages/promises to review. Everytime I read something of yours, I know why I 'fanned' you. Your descriptions are excellent: "I stood up tall with mock confidence" Your animation will draw the reader in. I was bullied from age 3 til I just was 'let go' at 70 as a result of too many set ups. So I know uneducated folks say 'ignore' . Well, we know that doesn't work. All it did for me was become more enmeshed in lies, tattling & traps. My 7th grade I was in a fist fight with one of the boys at least once a week. Where do you come up with these similes. Even if they are borrowed, they are used excellently. And this is the way it goes: "he held my arm as he guided me to the principal so I could receive my punishment for fighting."
When I wrote up very detailed reports on two of my bullying co-workers, my manager, scolded ME, saying, 'now you've made it impossible for anyone to report you for any wrong doings." I thought, 'whaaaat'???? I have to give you A+ for a lot of aspects of this report.

 Comment Written 12-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    Thank you so much, as always, for your review and comments. I have a theory about bullying, if only I could get my local school district to listen. I believe that if the bystanders take an active role by stepping in to help the victim, we could eradicate bullying in our district. Anyway, thank you so much, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
reply by Liz O'Neill on 12-Mar-2022
    There are classroom programs where the teacher has role playing to teach the students this, however, that is an artificial setting. Put them in an actual situation & things change.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This is a great story about facing down bullies. At great personal danger you did what many others wanted to do. You were a hero. That is pretty darned spectacular. You did a good job writing and editing your story and made it so interesting it was impossible to stop reading.

 Comment Written 11-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    Wow! Thank you so much for your kind words and for the six star rating. The story was a little difficult for me to write as remembering my feelings back then was very uncomfortable. Thanks again, and have a great weekend. Hugs.
Comment from Annette R.
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I loved names have not been changed in order to expose the guilty. Ignoring the mistreatment was a good try and might work sometimes. But fighting back works more often. I was a big kid, so the bulling took the form of being left out. Kudos to you!

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 Comment Written 11-Mar-2022


reply by the author on 12-Mar-2022
    Thank you so much for your thoughtful review and comments. I'm not a fighter, but I will throw punches if I feel I have exhausted every other possibility. I saw no other option in this case. Thank you again, and have a great weekend.