Life after school

IT’S been a decade since I left school. It’s often said that it’s ‘the best days of your lives’. Pardon me, but what a crock load of bullshit.

I hated school, and I’ve made no secret of that. If there’s any school reunions that I ever get invited to. It's gonna be a thanks, but no thanks if I'm gonna politely decline it. I’m not interested in the slightest on what others are doing, nor do I want to know either. More so, for those who thought so little of me. Made my life hell with the pain and misery they inflicted on me.

I had learning difficulties when I was at school. Where I needed a bit more support than some in the classroom. I was often subject to prejudice and being discriminated. As small-minded and judgemental people thought I was either weak or stupid.

I was bullied at secondary school by those who thought they’d get joy of amusing themselves and others at my expense. I was victim to verbal and sometimes physical abuse by people who were either in pairs or groups. At the time, I was left feeling shit and feeling worthless because of the reputation that preceded me.

Looking back now, I shouldn’t be ashamed of who I am, or who I was. It took me a long time to come to term with and get over the terrible ordeals I went through in my teens at high school. But I’ve come out the other side a stronger and more rounded individual from what I’ve experienced. That itself, could make the bullying a blessing in disguise from what I learnt from it.

Whenever I happen to see these bullies again. Being on the street, in a shop, or a pub. They have the audacity to come and say ‘hi’ when they see me. They’re often quite sheepish too and ask me how I am. They clearly have short memories, don't they? They don’t remember nor understand the pain and misery they inflicted on me.

I could have quite happily told them to ‘FUCK OFF!’. But I’m better than that. I'm not going to sink down to their level, so I'll kill it with kindness. Be civil and reply with minimal responses, but don’t bother asking about them. I’m not interested in the slightest of what they want to say or how they’re doing. In fact, I’d rather not have had the misfortune of seeing their ugly faces again.

If there’s anything to go by it. It says a lot more about those bullies than it ever did about me. They’re not big and tough as they make out. I was rather naïve to see this when I was at school. Bullies are cowards who took their insecurities out on me. They're probably living with the guilt of what they’ve done and put me through.

They were one of the very reasons I couldn't wait to leave school. I was glad to say, ‘good fucking riddance!’ on the last day of school. When I left the school gates for the final, I celebrated to looking forward. Not dreading another day of hell.

Since leaving school, I have been a lot happier and haven’t looked back since then…