Mike was born a normal, healthy child but a sudden accident occurred when he was 7 years old. He was sitting on a tree branch 5 feet above the ground. The branch snapped due to a sudden gust of wind. He hurt his arm badly with a gash the length of his forearm and a large bump on his head. It took him several weeks to heal , and the bump to his head had long-term effects on his personality. As the years went by Mike gradually turned into an introvert. He didn’t take part in social gatherings or any other situation that involved groups of people. People would comment in hushed voices on the change in his personality compared to only a few years prior.
The other boys in the neighbourhood felt sorry for him and didn’t bother him, but they never tried to befriend him, either. Instead, they eventually began telling lies and making up stories about Mike that weren’t true. Nevertheless, some people believed the stories and started teasing him. The teasing increased to the point where Mike would hardly venture outside. To make matters worse, his younger brother would also take part in the jeering and teasing, instead of giving him support. Fortunately, his youngest brother and sister came to his rescue whenever the bullies would target him. Though they had the best intentions, his parents did little to stop the behaviour after his brother and sister tried to explain how serious the problem was. It seemed he was defenceless because of his fear to speak up or try to stop the torment.
Of all the short stories about bullying, the most troubling are those that don’t have a happy ending. This short story about bullying happens to be one of them. Mike never adjusted completely from the hurtful words and frequent teasing about this shyness. For him, acceptance and patience seemed foreign and, as a result, his later years have been spent languishing at times in self-pity and no one to share his life with. It’s this type of outcome that accentuates the problem of bullying and its lasting effects. It’s hard to say if Mike’s life would have been different had he not fallen out of that tree, and we can only wonder at this point. One thing is for sure, however. Mike’s life would surely have turned out better had he not suffered the traumatizing effects of bullying from an early age.
Credits to the owner
