losing my job.

(some choice words may slip out. plug your eyes :)
I almost lost my job.

Well... not really.

I entered Crestview MS the other day much like I do many times a week to hang out at lunches. As I entered the office to sign in I passed a girl who I have a good relationship with. I am going to call her Kate. Kate comes to Club fairly regular. I don't like to play the favorites game... but I will not lie... she is one of my favorite girls. :) She is super loud and obnoxious... (that may be a selling point). Every time I come into lunches Kate will scream my name across the cafetorium (yes... it is called a cafetorium). I love that kid. Anyways... as I went into the office I passed Kate and she looked like she was sick. After I left the office I caught up with her and asked her if she was ok. She said she was fine. So we walked and talked as we headed to lunch. All of a sudden she just started crying. So we stopped and she told me her stomach hurt. I said... Like you are sick? She said no... and wouldn't say anything else. So I told her to have a seat. We sat there in silence for a bit.

She then told me that she got beat up.

"You got beat up?"

"Yeah... We were in PE and Matt and I ended up in the other gym alone... And he touched me."

"What do you mean he touched you?"

"I mean... He touched me inappropriately... and I yelled at him and told him to stop. But he wouldn't. When I said stop again... He just started punching me in the stomach and he threw me against the wall... and then he speared me with his head over and over again in my stomach... thats why my stomach hurts now."

I was super pissed.

"Kate... Have you told any of the teachers about this?"

"No... Abe I am scared... and I don't trust them... but I trust you... thats why I told you."

I convinced Kate that she needs to stand up for herself and her rights... and through her fear... I convinced her that talking to the principal was the right decision... I went in with her and we took care of that aspect... those details are irrelevant.

After talking to her more about the situation later...

It turns out that this has happened before... it wasn't the first time.

I was so angry. It took all that I am to not go down and beat the living hell out of this kid. I can't explain to you how mad I was that day... I don't know what it is like to be a father... and have your son or daughter get hurt... but I imagine it is very similar to how I felt.

Not only did this idiot hurt Kate physically... He has deeply scarred her emotionally. She is terrified of him. And she is very apprehensive around males that she doesn't know.

Oh... I can not describe to you the emotions this situation has brought out in me... just writing this gets me fired up...

I still have the giant urge to punch this kid every time I see him... but I refrain... barely.

The sad thing is... this kid must have seen this type of behavior modeled somewhere... I mean... A kid does not just act in this manner without first seeing some example... and most likely this event won't change him a single bit. He will continue to act the same way and find other people... girls he can take advantage of...

and this pains me... this rocks me to the core of my being...

i've been working through a lot lately... but this has absolutely rocked my world.

Kate is doing well. I have had many conversations with her and our relationship has deepened. She was very bruised for about a week after the incident... her stomach and back and chest took the brunt of it... but she is living... and taking life head on.

I am so thankful she trusted me enough to come to me with this.

phew.... i am fired up...

blessings friends

love to answer questions and get emails: abramjanson@huntington.edu

fight the injustice. love you.

abe