Gathering forces

High school was a significant upgrade to middle school, but not without its perils. Yes, I went from an environment with populars and lunch table politics to a place which was too large to really have either. On the other hand, we walked between buildings. On those walkways between Canton and Salem, I dodged pockets of leather clad smokers. I tried to not bump into anyone, but not have what might be considered aggressive eye contact. I trudged with the school, a mass of thick winter coats and down turned heads, keeping me from danger. Small fish in a big pond.

If you had to give my group a name, it would have been the nerds, but that really falls short of who we were. We had a burnout and artists, a jock and mathaletes. The common element which drew us together was gaming, role-playing gaming. We played a variety of games, but our staple was Dungeons and Dragons. It was not uncommon for twelve of us to go to Tim's apartment and play all night in his living room floor. I was the DM, the guy who ran the game, so in a group made this way, I was their de facto leader. I was asked if we were doing something on the weekend, where we were going, what we were going to play. I became the hub of what was sometimes a group of misfits.

For a long time, I never knew the value of this position.

Justin, not my brother, came into German and sat down beside me. Something was wrong, but I didn't bother to ask what it was. I was worried because of how hard German was for me and Frau Burnside was unforgiving. I was hoping Justin, who was brilliant, could help me. Becky, another good student, came over to see if Justin was alright. I listened and it turned out that someone was messing with him. I ask a few questions, but I don't remember what at this time. I remember thinking about how to push back the danger, how to stop what would surly escalate.

For the next few hours, I told the tale of this kid, this bully, who was picking on Justin. Now it should be said, that Justin was a black belt and probably able to handle himself, but that didn't slow me at all. We should have to put up with that. I told Eric, who had a nearly psychotic fascination with blade and Art, who tried to do his red hair like wolverine and imagined himself much tougher than he actually was. I told my brother, who really was the reason I was friends with the other Justin and Minotaur Dave. The word traveled and I asked them to tell others, gather their siblings and none gamer friends.

As the word travelled, the plan started to form. Lunch the next day. The kid we found out always ate in the hallway, which looking back probably meant he wasn't much of a threat, but in the moment just meant I knew how to find my target. I had seen him, had him pointed out to me later as the word was still traveling. I tried to remember his face, I said nothing.

The next day I got the affirmations of the kids who were going to be there. Those that had his lunch and those that would skip to confront him. As the time got closer I got more and more shaky. I had no idea what was about to happen. This felt a little right and a lot wrong.

The bell rung and we started to gather. Some were talking about violence, what to do if he tries something, if we should just beat him to make our point, or if maybe we should just let this go. I was not going to let this go, but I didn't want to get into a fight either. We numbered in double digits, but who exactly was there has slipped from me now.

In the hallway the kid leaned against the wall and ate his lunch. He wasn't the giant I had worried about, a little bigger and heavier than me, but not by much. I called his name and he looked up, I told him we needed to talk.

I don't remember how it all went down. I imagine he stepped out and we surrounded him and said something heroic, maybe even speech worthy, but adds are it was nothing like that, I might have not completed my sentences, because of the nerves, and my friends, who didn't like confrontation, might have stood back. I suppose it doesn't matter. He didn't want any trouble, he said he'd leave Justin alone and we walked away knowing we had each others backs.