Page 32 - Demo

Ditching the Guff18A Case in PointWhen I was 11, in grade six, my parents couldn%u2019tpay to replace my broken school case. Friendsgave them a bar-fridge-sized suitcase to useas my school work hold-all. It was that, or nothing.At the school bus-stop, amongst rows of kitbags,boys%u2019 leather school bags and girls%u2019 cases, minewas a giant%u2019s belly, wherein a few exercise books,pencils, packed lunch and plastic cordial bottlerattled around.When my best friend changed schools that year,other students bullied me%u2014gave me cold shoulders,vandalised books, destroyed my lunch. They alreadylaughed out loud, pointing to that old cardboardGlobite. One afternoon riding home on the bus,three girls not in my class sat across the aisleat the front, heads together, whispering, theirmalicious eyes flicking back, faces intent.When they jumped out at my stop, I stayed shiveringin my seat, while they stood in wait, beforere-boarding. As I got off a block away, they followedthen fenced me in, closer, closer. I grabbedthat loathed bit of luggage, whirled it aroundlike a wrecking ball, again and again. The girlsslunk away. I walked home shaken but untouched,adrenaline pumping and although that totewas an indignity, sometimes bigger is better.