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2001-03-14 | 04:05:06

corduroy licorice was always fishing for compliments. he once caught an 8 lb. cod, but, sadly, it didn't flatter his bod.

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i saw a good movie called the taste of others. it's a french comedy and is nominated for an oscar. the story examines the way people judge each other using kneejerk stereotypes. it has some terrific, subtle character work going on. plus, it's dern funny.

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the tv news anchor man tonight asked, "does schoolyard bullying cause school violence?" schoolyard bullying is school violence. duh, dude.

i did an awful thing in fourth grade. i was an accessory to a bullying. there was a girl in our class who was indian. she wore a long, thick braid down her back. when she walked, her braid would swing like a pendulum. she smoothed oil on her hair to style it, which made her tresses look dirty to us white-ass, wannabe breck girls. she had an unusual name. she was annoyingly smart and a bit prissy. she wore the same pale green jacket to school for years. she was a nerd.

i was a nerd, too. a nerd who wanted to make it to the big leagues. there were a couple of popular girls who hated pendulum braid girl. they did something awful to her and i stood by and watched, giggling with them in the hopes i'd be accepted.

ok, this is gross, but they dipped an oreo cookie into our classroom toilet's bowl water. then they dared pendulum braid girl to eat it. i don't know why, considering the cookie they handed her was damp, but she took a bite of it. i guess she wanted to make it to the majors, too, and thought this move would catch the approval of the head coach of coolness. i couldn't believe my eyes. i felt horrible. why had i laughed with them? why hadn't i called out and told her not to eat it? why was i such a weakling? ugh.

people say it all the time, "kids can be so cruel."

in grade school and junior high, i was teased for being too skinny..."skin and bones jones," one girl called me.

in high school, i wore one of the first pairs of designer jeans to hit campus, just as they were becoming the rage. i had calvin klein jeans. brooke shields was the line's spokesmodel with the famous slogan, "nothing comes between me and my calvins."

one day in the gym locker room, a couple of the "in" girls whispered as i changed into my designer denim. another one of their posse asked, "what are you two talking about?" they chimed back with acid-tinged voices, "brooke shields." i was mortified.

skinny 'lil freshman boys always got stuck in trash cans during high school. it's a sad part of human nature. painful rites of passage, like fraternity hazings. i'm glad that schools are cracking down on the bully factor now due to the recent school shooting.

and pendulum braid girl, wherever you are, i'm very sorry i didn't protect you. the good news is that you're probably a highly paid professional with a happy family at this point and your tormentors are appearing on jerry springer or cops, giving the editors plenty to bleep out.

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take a peek at these - (c) 2000-2003 nictate:

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2005-03-16

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2004-11-19

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2004-11-17

catcher in the wry
2004-11-16