Common Occurrence
It is a well known fact that bullying occurs everyday, all around the world, and that it has been a problem for a long time. It is not uncommon to witness people picking on others without reason, or to see them dump their personal frustrations on those around them.
But one dad was not going to allow the bullying to take place. A smile spread across his face as he zipped up his coat.
BULLIED AT SCHOOL
The boy’s name is Joey Mason and he was hanging out in the park one day, having fun and playing around with his ball. He was one of the many kids that get bullied at school, but here he was happy. Until a group of teenagers showed up…
Unfortunately, there are many bullies at schools and not many people know how to properly handle this issue. Something had to be done.
I AM A VICTIM OF BULLYING
“My name is Joey and I’m 10 years old. I am a victim of bullying. It hurts me very much. Please, stop bullying,” wrote Joey on social media. His plea garnered a lot of attention online, but the one person who could help hadn’t seen it.
Joey’s message was read by many, but, unfortunately, his dad knew nothing about it…
A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR
Joey’s dad had noticed that the change in his son had started once he started attending the new school. He could pinpoint the time exactly: this was when he went from being a happy little boy to an emotional wreck.
He began wondering about what was causing it. Could it be the school, or a teacher, or even another child?
SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG
Every day after school, Joey’s dad would see his son crying and he knew something was very wrong. He didn’t know Joey for sure that his son was getting bullied. But when he finally got to the bottom of the problem, he couldn’t believe what had been going on.
He had to do something rather sneaky and very underhanded, but he knew it just had to be done.
TAKING ACTION
Being the father that he is, he couldn’t just let his son get sadder and sadder with each passing day. He had enough and decided he was going to be the one to do something about it. The only question was how?
He thought about it for a while. Then he finally came up with the perfect plan.
MAKING A DECISION
He thought about it a lot. Then, he came to the conclusion that Joey must be getting bullied by one of his classmates or even by one of his teachers. They had a stable and happy family life back at home, so he knew that couldn’t be the root of his son’s unhappiness. But how could he find out the truth?
One day, he secretly followed his son to the local park after school… and then all hell broke loose.
A ‘NICE’ DAY AT THE PARK
After school that fateful day, Joey’s outdoor playtime turned into a nightmare for him. Why? Because of the bullies. He was busy playing with his ball, but then they approached him…
Little did they know, someone was waiting and watching their every move closely. And when the time came by, he wouldn’t hesitate to act.
JOEY DIDN’T SEE THEM COMING
For some reason, a group of teens had recently turned their eyes to him that spring. For weeks, it seemed that every time and everywhere Joey went before and after school, they were there to bully him.
But Joey was a tough kid and didn’t let the name-calling get to him. That was, until one day, the bullying took a scary turn. Today, it wouldn’t just be name-calling or pointing…
STEALING HIS BALL
Joey was an innocent boy who was not troubling anyone, so why was he always attacked and bullied by these teenagers? To the other people present there, it would appear as though they knew Joey as they directly approached him.
Things were about to get ugly, and Joey was in trouble, but the commotion the teenagers made drew the attention of someone else…
Will Someone Help Out?
At school, Joey couldn’t defend himself. Most kids would be afraid to step up, and sometimes teachers were oblivious to this problem, thinking they’re just being “kids” and all just fooling around. “Boys will be boys,” they thought.
And now, the nasty teens had him cornered. But someone at the park sees what’s happening! Will they help Joey out?
It Wasn't Fun
The teenage boys were having some fun, stealing Joey’s ball and not giving it back. But we all know that things can escalate pretty fast if nobody intervenes.
From afar, seeing the older boys passing Joey’s ball to each other didn’t seem wrong. To onlookers, it probably looked like they knew him because they went directly to him. But their demeanor, though friendly on the surface, hid some dark undertones that would soon reveal the teens’ true nature.
It Was Going To Get Ugly
“Hey kid,” one of the teens said. “Nice ball you got there. Can I see it?” But before Joey could react, the teen kicked the ball away from him. “It’s mine!” he protested, to no avail.
“Come on, just give it to me, man. It’s just a ball,” the teen continued. Little did he know, he was being watched.
Someone Was Listening
While the interaction between the teens and Joey was occurring, a man was taking notice. He was hidden just out of sight. But as the teasing escalated, he turned his attention toward the four boys.
At one point, the older teen kicked the ball away to the other side of the footpath. That’s when the man decided to act. And the mean boys had no idea that he was Joey’s dad.
He Approached The Boys
“Gentlemen, what exactly do you think you are doing?” asked Joey’s dad, in an extremely scolding tone that let everyone know that he meant business.
Joey was trying to get his ball back, and then the teenagers were left speechless for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. But then, they grew emboldened. They tried to fleece him.
“Just Playing Ball, Sir”
The teenagers innocently said: “Just playing ball, sir,” hoping they would fool the dad and be left alone. But this guy wasn’t buying it. He could tell that those boys were up to no good.
The man’s next words are more than we would ever want to hear in this situation if we were Joey…
Making Things Clear To Them
“Why are you picking on a little kid?” asked the man. The boys didn’t answer. “Don’t you think your parents would love this? You guys getting arrested for picking on a little kid?” he added.
One of the teens said “No, sir,” and then the man turned to the other teenagers, asking some more questions.
Telling Them Off
“Why didn’t you guys stop him? You guys wanna be part of this?” – asked the man, angry that he was a witness to this, but glad to be there and help out his son. He turned to Joey and asked him if he was ok, giving back his ball.
Then, he turned to the teenagers and told them to find another place and leave the kid alone. But this story is far from being over, and you’ll see why…
Taking The Bait
Joey walked ahead while his dad hung back. And, sure enough, the teens were loitering on their usual street corner. They recognized Joey immediately, and then the name calling began.
But this time, Joey’s dad was ready. He strode up and shouted “Hey!” to get their attention. They stared at him, confused. Then, he smiled as he unzipped his coat.
A Flash Of White
The teens’ jaws fell as they saw the white uniform, then they began to scrabble. “I thought so!” Joey’s dad yelled as they ran away. Tightening his black belt, he grinned, satisfied.
He’d found his old Judo uniform and hidden it under his coat to give the bullies the fright of their lives!
Stop Bullies
Many celebrities have spoken up and supported people like Joey. Bullying is not something we want to see, no matter what! So that’s why many people have started to speak up about this issue.
Pretty much everyone today agrees that bullying is a serious issue that should be dealt with expeditiously. Here’s what our story has in common with Anti Bullying movements…
A Heartbreaking Message From Keaton
In December of 2017, a video went viral in which a young boy named Keaton Jones tearfully talked about being bullied. The video elicited countless reactions and sparked a national conversation about bullying.
Among those who spoke up about the issue, there was one person in particular that drew even more attention to Jones’ case.
I Promise It Gets Better
Plenty of public figures turned out on Twitter to show their support for Keaton. Out of all the attention Keaton got for the video, nothing was as heartwarming as the response from celebrities. Chris Evans, known for his role as Captain America, put his massive heart on display for Keaton and his family.
Chris felt for Keaton, urging that he “stay strong,” and even offering Keaton an invite to the new Avengers movie premiere next year. He wasn’t the only one to support Jones, either.
Inaction
One of the reasons why bullying is, unfortunately, still a thing, is the following: the people who could do something to put an end to it usually turn a blind eye to what’s happening right in front of them.
When this happens, it can sometimes lead to situations where the victim has to take justice into their own hands. That’s what happened in the following story.
At His Wits’ End
Andrew was at his wits’ end. He had tried everything to make it stop; he had tried confronting the bullies and also ignoring them in hopes they would get tired of not getting a reaction.
He had tried reasoning with other peers to get himself some support; he had told his teachers about it. However, nothing seemed to work. Until one day.
A Solution
One day, as Andrew was contemplating all the different courses of action he had tried to make them stop picking on him, he realized that he had tried pretty much everything in his hand.
But suddenly, he realized something: there was something he hadn’t tried yet. Right then and there, he realized that was the only option he had left.
Alice And Andrew Davis
Alice Davis, a single mom of 29 years of age, lived with her son Andrew, aged 11, in a nice neighborhood in Michigan, Ohio.
The two of them led a happy life and didn’t want for anything. However, it had taken Alice years of struggle and suffering to get to the position where she could give her kid the life he deserved.
No Dad
Andrew’s father was completely out of the picture, and, all things considered, it was for the better.
After Alice gave birth, when it first became clear that the man didn’t intend to be there for her and Andrew at all, Alice was deeply affected. But now, she saw that it had been the best thing that could have happened to them.
Better Off
After all, the man would have been everything but a good father and husband. He wasn’t even able to take care of himself, let alone of other people.
But thanks to pure determination, hard work, and love for Andrew, Alice had been able to build a nice life for herself and her son. However, some events that took place when Andrew was 11 left her feeling absolutely helpless.
Unlike His Dad
Andrew didn’t remind Alice of his dad at all. He was absolutely his opposite in pretty much everything; unlike his father, Andrew was a considerate, humble, and diligent young man. Alice felt sad to know that, as days passed, he would no longer be his baby and grow into a man, but she also felt proud of how mature Andrew was.
However, there was one thing he had inherited from his dad. And eventually, it became a cause of suffering and distress for Andrew.
Red Hair
That was a head full of red hair. Although Alice was aware that sometimes cruel kids could pick on their ginger peers, this had never happened before.
Andrew was a kid that carried himself well, gave everyone respect, and thus got respect back. However, that happened as soon as Andrew entered puberty and moved to a different school closer to his new neighborhood.
Problems
All of a sudden, Andrew’s peers began picking on him for his red hair. It took Alice a while to find out; at first, Andrew didn’t say anything about it, probably because he didn’t want to worry his mom.
But at some point, Alice spotted certain signs that let her know something was wrong with Andrew’s new school.
Change In Behavior
One day, seemingly out of nowhere, Andrew’s behavior changed. He became quieter and closed off. It was obvious to Alice that something was bothering him, but she couldn’t put her finger on what. Andrew didn’t comment on anything either.
At first, Alice thought it was just normal behavior from a boy who had just entered his teens. However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong; one evening, she asked the big question.
The Question
“So… how are you getting along with your new classmates?” Alice asked. Her son’s response left her speechless for a few seconds.
“Eh, some are fine, some not so much,” he said. After hesitating for a few seconds, he said something else. “A bunch of them have been talking smack about my hair.” Alice’s blood froze in her veins.
“What Do They Say?”
“What do you mean, your hair? What do they say?” she asked. “Oh, you know. The fact that I’m a ginger and everything. Just stupid stuff.”
“And how do you respond when they do that?” Alice asked. “Eh, it depends. I’m not going to fight over dumb stuff, but I’m not going to take it all either,” he answered. “I’ve also told some teachers about it. The other day they put my bag in the trash can.”
It Was Serious
That was when Alice saw that it was no joke. He could tell that Andrew didn’t want her to worry too much, so he didn’t tell him anything; but the next day, while Andrew was at school, she called the principal and told her the truth: her son was getting bullied.
The principal promised to keep an eye on it and deal with the culprits expeditiously. However, things were about to get worse.
It Didn’t Improve
As Alice could observe, Andrew’s mood didn’t improve. She asked him about it again, but he kept brushing things off. However, Alice could tell that something was wrong.
But she didn’t press the issue. She knew Andrew preferred to deal with things by himself, and might feel pressured if Alice kept bringing it up. Still, she was resolved to call the principal again soon to check in with her. But before she could do that, something else happened.
Conflict
For weeks, Alice wasn’t aware of it, but the situation in Andrew’s school got increasingly worse. Somehow, his bullies heard that Andrew’s mom had gotten involved, and that hadn’t stopped them. As a matter of fact, the result was quite the opposite.
One day, Andrew’s bullies walked up to him on the school bus and pronounced some words that made the kid act fast. Now, it was on.
On The Floor
In a matter of seconds, the leader of the bullies was lying on the floor, crying and holding his face with his hands. Quickly, everyone surrounded them and restrained Andrew so he wouldn’t keep going at him.
However, that wasn’t Andrew’s intention. He had already made his point, and he was satisfied. But what had the bully said that provoked Andrew’s anger?
A Threat
He had threatened Andrew and his mom. Right then and there, Andrew knew he couldn’t let that slide. So he did something he had never done before.
Up until then, he had tried solving the issue with not-so-drastic measures. But that was, finally, the straw that broke the camel’s back. However, that was just the beginning of his problems.
Suspended
That same day, Andrew was suspended from his school for five days. He was singled out by his teachers as the sole culprit behind the conflict between him and his bullies, who weren’t suspended or penalized at all.
Shortly after, Alice posted about the events on her Facebook wall. In a matter of hours, the story went viral, and Alice was contacted by the media to elaborate on it.
Proud
“I know as a parent I’m supposed to be upset with him for resorting to violence or getting suspended, but I’m not. Not even a little bit,” said Alice. “I’m actually really proud of him.”
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.