Guest lurkerspeaks Posted December 21, 2012 Posted December 21, 2012 Did you have any "defining moments" growing up that helped shape you into the man you are today? I remember one very distinctly. My parents divorced when I was very young. Back in 1968, when I was just 8 years old, my (then 10 yr old brother) and I were spending the summer with my father and stepmother. Both father and stepmother were alcoholics. One night, they got into a bad, drunken fight. My brother and I were on the stairs, watching/listening to the fight. We saw my father break my stepmother's arm with a pool cue. I knew from that moment that violence was not the answer to anything. To this day, now 44 years later, I have never been in a physical fight, and never hit another human being. Anyone else feel like sharing? Quote
TotallyOz Posted December 21, 2012 Posted December 21, 2012 When I was 16 years old my mother bought me an "almost" new Firebird. We were poor but this was money she had saved from my dad's death benefits. I was thrilled beyond belief and I felt like king of the world. My mother wanted me to get a license plate for it and I picked out a unicorn with my name on it. It was beautiful but looking back, I know more than just a bit gay. A guy in my school scratched the word "fag" beneath it. I was told who did this as friends saw him. I was horrified that perhaps my mother would see this. When I got home from school, I took some plyers to it and ripped off the plate as I didn't know how to unscrew it. I was in tears all night. Mostly for fear I would be "found out" by her or by others. The next morning, I drove to school, I found this guys car and I went to it, opened up a switch blade and proceeded. to flatten all 4 of his tires in full view of everyone in the school that was in that parking lot. Everyone just looked at me. I put the switch blade back in my pants and walked into school. No one spoke to me that day as they perhaps thought I was insane. I had put the tires out on a very popular kid whose daddy was friends with my family (small town). The father came to school and got the car for his son but not once did anyone ever say anything to me. I honestly do not know what would have happened if he confronted me. But, I guess he understood fair was fair. However, that changed my entire perspective on allowing someone to bully me. I just refused to take it from him or from anyone. MsGuy 1 Quote
Members BigK Posted December 21, 2012 Members Posted December 21, 2012 Way to go OZ...I love how you stood your ground. I'll bet your firebird was not fooled around with anymore. TotallyOz 1 Quote
TotallyOz Posted December 21, 2012 Posted December 21, 2012 Way to go OZ...I love how you stood your ground. I'll bet your firebird was not fooled around with anymore. No one bothered me or the car after that day. But, I always wondered what would have happened if I had been confronted. I was so angry and also so very embarrassed that a "secret" that I thought no one knew was exposed. Quote
