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In elementary and middle school, your loveable, good-natured columnist was harassed by bullies. It was very strange to me: I desperately wanted friends and was painfully insecure, so I did the only logical thing: I told everyone around me what a wonderful, talented, clever guy I was — and whatever they did, I could do better. So surely, everyone would want to be friends with a wonderful, talented, clever guy like me!
Inexplicably,itdidn’twork.(Gofigure.)MyclassmatesthoughtIwasarrogant.Andafewof‘emthoughtitwouldbefuntobeatmeup.
Iwasscaredofonekidinparticularbecausehewasalotbiggerthanme.Butoneday(rightbeforeheshovedmeinthehallway),hesaidsomethingthatcompletelyalteredmypointofview.
Outoftheblue,hescreamed,“I’mnotafraidofyou!”
Myfirstthoughtwasthemostobvious:“Ofcoursenot!Whywouldyoubeafraidofme?You’rewaybiggerandstronger!Hey,I’mtheonewho’safraidofyou!”
Butmysecondthoughtchangedeverything:“Wait…hejustadmittedhe’safraidofme,didn’the?”
Whenpeoplelie,they’reactuallytellingyouthetruthaboutwhattheywantyoutobelieve.Inmanyways,
