Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” This was what Josh Mullardson thought as his face smashed into the cold concrete of the sidewalk. When he saw Cole Gray and his gang, he had formed a plan in his mind on how to escape. He’d keep his head down and try to walk past unnoticed, and, if that didn’t work, he’d run. If they somehow caught him, he’d wait until they grabbed his arms and spread out then he’d have to make it through a couple of Cole’s punches. When the big brute came to taunt him, he’d twist his arms, get down and roll, and run to safety.
It all went according to plan, until the first punch. It knocked the wind out of him, and while he struggled to breathe, the second punch sent him sprawling. As he struggled to get up, one of them came and stepped on the back of his head, smashing his face into the concrete. As he tried to process the pain, the gang jeered at him.
“Come on, get up, runt!”
“It ain’t fun when ya stay down there!”
Josh tried to push himself off the ground, but as he did, he felt a sneaker push him back onto the ground. “Stay down!” a voice called.
“Make up your mind!” Josh muttered to himself.
A hand grabbed the back off his shirt and he found himself staring into the eyes of Cole Gray. “What was that runt?”
Any defiance Josh had vanished instantly. “No-nothing!” he stuttered.
“That’s what I thought!” He was thrown back to the ground.
The gang harassed him a while longer, until one of them said “ The little brats got nothin left, let’s go find some other dork.” Josh waited until their footsteps faded away to get up slowly. He looked around. They had gone to another part of the neighborhood. As he looked around, he rubbed his bruises. Unfortunately, this was not the only one of these vicious beatings he’d endured. He’d had 6 or 7… this month. As he considered what he was to do about this, a voice, old but strong, said behind him, “They got you good, huh?”
Josh turned around and realized he was standing right in front of Mr. Jenkins’s house. As he looked into the door, Mr. Jenkins was standing there. Since he practically lived on the other side of the neighborhood, the only thing Josh knew of Mr. Jenkins was that he gave the best Halloween Candy. “It’s rather cold this season, you best come inside,” Mr Jenkins said.
Normally Josh would be skeptical, but everyone knew Mr. Jenkins to be a good and honest man, and, after what he had just gone through, Josh was ready for the comforts of a home. He hurriedly went inside and closed the door after himself. Mr. Jenkins was scurrying around, putting things here and there. He pulled out a chair at his table and motioned for Josh to sit. He did. Mr. Jenkins sat down in the other seat.
“I have hot cocoa.” Mr. Jenkins handed him a steaming mug and began to talk. As he listened, Josh sipped the cocoa. It was delicious. “ You’re a lot smaller than them so fighting definitely isn’t an option. You haven’t moved away yet and you probably won’t in the foreseeable future…”
“What are you doing?” Josh interrupted him.
“Trying to find a solution.”
“Why are you helping me?” Mr. Jenkins pretended like he hadn’t heard him.
“I’m guessing you’ve already heard ‘the talk it out, be kind’ solution. All bullying has a source.” Josh had heard this solution. “They’ll only see it as me trying to escape.”
Mr. Jenkins nodded like he expected this.
“Well, then, you’ll have to get the upper hand first”. Josh hadn’t heard this before. He must have looked interested, because Mr. Jenkins kept talking. As he talked, a smile appeared on Josh’s face and grew wider and wider.
First, Josh would lure them up the slipperiest hill in the neighborhood. Then, he’d get them to charge him and he’d jump back. He’d twist mid-air and land safely on top of the hill while the others slid down where Mr. Jenkins would be waiting with his car. They would land around it, and he would accuse them of trying to steal it. Mr. Jenkins’s officer friend would show up and begin to arrest them. Then Josh would slide down and vouch for them. Josh left that day feeling the most confident he ever had.
They had decided on doing it a week later. Josh trained his running a lot, but when the day came, he felt like he didn’t train enough. When he reached the top of the hill he was winded. But that didn’t slow him down. He had a job to do. When Cole and the others reached the top, they were also winded. Good. As they charged him, arms outstretched, Josh jumped back. It somehow went flawlessly. Josh twisted and landed safely on the hilltop, while the others slipped and fell, plummeting down the hill. Josh waited and caught his breath for a moment or two, and then slid down after them.
When he reached the bottom, he saw that Mr.Jenkins’s part had gone well too. The gang was all looking terrified as an officer berated them. As Josh walked up, he began telling the officer how they were his friends and how they meant no harm. The officer pretended to consider this, and then told the gang they were let off with a warning.
In the aftermath, Cole came up to Josh and asked a simple question. “Why?”
Josh responded with what Mr. Jenkins told him,“All bullying has a source.” Their conversation had no dramatic end, but, as the members of the gang walked off, Josh knew things would be different.
That night at home Josh got to thinking. Tomorrow, he decided, he’d pay Mr. Jenkins a visit.