Showdown

I got along pretty well with most of my classmates. I preferred getting along with everybody; I didn't like fighting. Fighting with your brother was different, it was the way of things, but even then you got over it. I'd had enough of getting smacked in the nose by the older kids in my neighborhood, and since they had all moved on or moved out my life was pretty much free of any major confrontations.
As fate and the alphabet would have it, that would all change here in this Fourth Grade year.
I stood behind Bradley Lloyd whenever we had to line up for anything at school. I stood behind him in Third Grade as well, so it was a routine I had become accustomed to, part of the natural order.
But wait- was it my imagination, or had Bradley taken a disliking to me for some reason? It was subtle at first. He would "accidentally" step on my feet, or "lose his balance" and back into me. A lot of shoving and bumping. Had he gotten clumsy over the summer, I wondered?
Soon he made his intentions quite clear. He wanted to fight me, he said, and it was going to happen. He told me every day. The day was coming when he and I would have to square off and duke it out, and he was going to mop the playground with me.
I didn't understand. I thought and thought, but I couldn't come up with any reason why Bradley should dislike me so. Maybe it was the sound of my voice: maybe to him I sounded like nails on a blackboard every time I talked and he just couldn't take it anymore. I guess I was just the type of person he couldn't stand. Linda Hankin was like that to me. I tried as hard as I could to like her, but there was something in her personality that rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't want to punch her out, though. I just wished she would go away-far away- from me.
Every day there was tension. Every day a new challenge, with Bradley all in my face demanding satisfaction. What would be the point of all this, I thought? We'd still be in the same class every day, and I'd still have to stand in line behind him. What's with this guy, anyway?
I didn't want to go to school. I didn't want to fight. I didn't want to get into trouble, and I certainly didn't want another bloody nose.
I began to try and get out of going to school. My excuses were legion, but Mom was wise to the ruse, so off to school I would go, dreading every step. Maybe I should bring Whee-Zee with me and scare Bradley off, but that was no good. Whee-Zee was getting older now and didn't leave the yard too much. What was I going to do?
I couldn't take it anymore. I had to tell my mother, I had to get it all off of my chest. I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to go to school, and I didn't want to fight Bradley Lloyd.
Finally I told her. It all came pouring out.
Mom looked me square in the eye.
"Stand up for yourself," she said.
"If he hits you, hit him back."
"If he starts a fight, fight him back."
And that was that.
Wow, now I was more nervous than ever. I had permission to fight back, I was expected to stand up for myself, but I really didn't want to. The final reckoning was at hand, but it would be up to Bradley Lloyd, I wasn't going to be the one to start something.
It didn't take long.
Bradley was there, still in my face, issuing the challenge, proposing to fight if I dared.
What day it was, I'll never remember. Was it the playground or the front lawn of Sheila McLaughlin's house? I can't say for sure.
All I know is that I accepted Bradley's challenge one day. I was reluctant and I was scared, but it had to be done. I had to get this guy off of my back once and for all.
Was there a big crowd to witness the main event? I don't think so.
Who threw the first punch? Who knows?
Was it a bloodbath, a Rocky Balboa-like punch-a-thon, with Bradley and I barely able to stand?
Nah!
Fists flew and punches landed. A lot of flailing about, and what seemed like an hour was probably all of five minutes. Bradley landed a punch to my nose, and all the rage in me came out, all the smacks from the older kids came to the fore, and I gave as good as I got, hitting back harder each time.
We sort of just - stopped.
And then we walked away.
Nobody won. Nobody lost. The only person who could give a reason for it all was Bradley, I still didn't know why.
I felt a little better about myself.
I got home and proudly told Mom that I stood up to him; I didn't back down.
I washed the blood from my nose and wondered what would happen when I went back to school. Would I have to prove myself over and over again, locked in perpetual combat with Bradley Lloyd, like the Titans of long ago?
Next day I stood in my usual place, the first M behind the last L. Bradley was in front of me not saying a word.
We didn't fight anymore.
I guess even Bradley couldn't see the point.
I could breathe a sigh of relief.
Fourth Grade could go on now.
I would go to school and take my place in line.
As fate and the alphabet would have it.