Bullies

After what happened in P.E., I didn't want to go back

I knew it wasn't gonna be good

But it turned out so much worse

Than I would ever have thought it could

Blanked by my best mates

Taxed at the school gates

Punched in the face on the bus

For a while, it got a little too much

Laughter resounding along the corridor

Me in a puddle on the floor

Anthony Pay leans over and spits

I don't want to remember any more

So Anthony was expelled for something else entirely

The term rumbled quietly on

I just tried to keep my head down

But ended up messing up my GCSEs

Much to dad's disappointment

But mainly thanks to the encouragement of Mrs. Coverchurch

I managed an A and a B in English

I'm in the library every lunchtime

Far away from the noise outside

Putting the finishing touches on my entry

For the "Short Story Competition"

I got a phone call at work today from Joshua's school

Asking me to come right away

I was in the middle of a Zoom

With one of our most important clients, Majestic Wine

He's been scrapping again, broke a lad's jaw, and now he's suspended

Pending further investigation

What am I gonna do with this kid?

Shaking the hand of the dour assistant head

I ask, "Does Mrs. Coverchurch still teach here?"

"She's taking some well-deserved leave"

The old brick buildings have been replaced with glass and steel

I'm privileged to watch the under-21s

After a week of hardly talking at all

During a lull in play, I finally say

"I know you've got a good heart"