FOILED.

It was the last day of school before the spring holidays (no, not Spring Break, but the two weeks mid-semester) and what should have been a day filled with excitement was filled with trepidation. This was also to be the day that a regular bully was leaving the school, and it relied upon best laid plans coming to fruition in order to be escaped successfully.

One of the teachers at the school was aware of the predicament of a student in her class and had taken a dislike to the bully as well. She had gathered intelligence that the bully and a few of his associates were planning something horrible for the student who was a regular target.

The bully had arrived at school that day and was announcing his plans for his target. His target knew roughly what would happen but had been told to mask by their mother and engage in false bravado.

As the final class of the day was taken by the teacher who disliked the bully, she kept a poker face and at 2:55PM, sent a message to another teacher that two students in her class were to see her immediately. The other two students had no idea what it was to be about, but they were to be accompanied to the classroom by the other teacher. At 3PM, the second teacher arrived with the two students, and the other teacher said to the target of the bully, “Follow me.” She whispered to the second teacher, “Keep an eye on this class, please.”

“Okay,” began the teacher. “The bell has just gone. You go straight to the bike racks and get your bike, and you go straight home. Don’t stop anywhere in the school grounds. Okay?”

“Thank you,” replied the target, who did not need to be told twice. The target went to the office to retrieve their helmet and hurried to the bicycle racks. Meanwhile, the teacher said, “Okay, the rest of you, except for the main bully, his associate in this class and the two boys who I asked to come here are free to go. Have a good holiday.” The rest of the class hurried towards the door and from there to the school gates.

“Why are we here?” asked the bully.

“You and the other three have some important tasks to do. You,” she said, pointing at the two associates from the other class, “can take this TV and VCR on a stand back to the library. And leave your bags here. You two will be doing some tidying up and preparation that will take you a good 10 minutes.” The main bully and his first associate had to shift chairs and desks to the back of the room in three classrooms and lock the doors and windows, by which time the other two had returned from the library.

“Right,” said the teacher, “you two may go now. The other two can wait here while I inspect their work.” The teacher seemed to take pleasure in checking the students’ work slowly. After what seemed like half an hour but was only a few minutes, the teacher returned. “Right,” she began, “how was it spending your last day doing chores?”

“Well, I’m leaving today,” replied the bully.

“Yes, and not too favourably. You may go now. And I won’t be sorry. But there’s something for you.”

The bully and his associate walked towards the school gate and on the other side, his mother’s car was parked. “Oh, well,” said the bully, “guess the target gave us the slip.”

“Not quite,” interjected the bully’s mother. “You see, I saw them as they went past, and they said to wish you luck. And I’m rather happy that you failed in your initiative. Maybe, when you start at your new school, you will have less luck at bullying.”

Having survived bullying, I know the fear it generates. It’s quite empowering when you have people in positions of power to help you evade them.