#firstttimeauthor

What happens when a bully grows up? 

Japanese TV station NHK World is showing a series on bullying. In the old days I think people who were bullied felt ashamed & embarrassed to be victims. I was.

Driving through the Beacon Hill neighborhood ️ always reminds me of middle & high school. Starting in the 7th grade, I was bullied by a “frenemy” who picked on me on & off for 5 years.  We hung around the same crowd of people  but she was sly & no one noticed. I always wondered why she chose me? 

She & I liked the same boy when we were in middle school. She enlisted a group of girls to threaten to beat me up after school.  I was petrified. The girls let me go without hurting me, but it really shook me up. 

The frenemy later worked on the H.S. paper  & attributed things to me that I never said, making some angry! And of course, she got away with it. 

The events happened decades years ago.  I’d like to purge her from my thoughts, but can’t. I’ve wondered if she’s given a moment’s thought to any of it? 

What makes a person bully & torment others for fun, & do they continue being a bully into adulthood? ‍♀️

We crossed paths again later as adults. ☠️ Our kids were in the same after-school program.  I had a successful design business & she was a low-level bureaucrat in the midst of getting a divorce. Not quite karma, but close!

  She acted as though nothing had ever happened. But it’s hard to believe someone can forget menacing another person. 

Have you ever been a bully,  or have you ever been bullied? Do you still remember why or how it felt, & did you ever resolve things with the other person? 

On another note, thanks to all of you who have supported #BloggingOnInstagram. If you purchased the book, please tag me in a shoutout so I can thank you! You’ve helped it rotate thru eight categories as #1 best new release!

Photos: In #JapantownSeattle. I met fellow author @p.s.travelstories. I have a few copies of my book & we did an exchange. #japantown #alleyway #alleywayart #kobeterrace #chinatownseattle #internationaldistrict #firstttimeauthor #bookexchange #homegrowntomatoes

(at Japantown Seattle)
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