How would I react if I saw my chief tormentor after 47 years? I do not know!
For those of us who were bullied, it meant years of hell - walking to school in fear, spending the day in fear and walking home in fear and for me the bullying continued at home. My only respite was the bike and spending many happy miles on my own.
For those who say forget it, it happened years ago, move on. that is easier said than done! The brain is a wonderful organ - all of our experiences are in there. How many of you have been asked by one of your kids to help with theit homework have been unable to help but a few minutes later can come up with the answer? Your mind has wandered and has found its way to the back of your brain to a compartment called "5h1T that I will never, ever need" and it was there! Some of us who were badly bullied also have a compartment next door to that that is not only locked and bolted but welded shut and it can sometimes take a huge trigger to open it. Let me give you a good example:-
After leaving school, I joined the Army to get away from the family. The last straw was having to pay board and keep to my mum - no objection to that in principal but.. my elder sister was a cadet nurse, paid mum nothing and dad gave her a few bob a month. My next younger brother started work before me and was earning £7/10/- a week and mum took 10 bob a week off him (50p). I was earning the same and expected the same deal and that new Carlton in the LBS would be mine in a few short weeks but I was badly wrong. Mum took £7 off me and left me with 10 bob!
A few years ago I was home in Bangkok, I was on the computer and my late wife was watching TV when suddenly I went as white as a sheet and started to shake uncontrollably - she thought I was ill and asked me what was wrong but I could not say. It passed after a few minutes but I woke up about 3 in the morning and screamed "I know, I remember". So what had happened?
Earlier my brain had received two messages at the same time and that was enough to open up a very painful memory - a helicopter had flown over the house and at the same time I heard the name Arkwright on the TV.
I was an aircraft fitter in the Army Air Corps, after sitting out class III finals, those who passed were going on 4 days leave and then starting a L/Cpls course. I was walking around the camp and Sgt Arlwright (not his real name) called me over told me that I was top of the class but not to tell anyone. The results were read out the following day - Andy was top, Jack was second and the Captain went all down the list but my name was not mentioned! As the class was dismissed, Andy asked about me and was told that I had to stay behind and see the captain who told me that my score was so bad that he cannot backsquad me, he has to kick me off the course!
About 20 years later, I was on Blackpool prom when a chap approached me and said "Hello, Peter, remember me?" I didn`t so he told me he was Sgt Arkwright and wanted to apologise to me. I did finish top of the class but the captain did not want anyone who stuttered in the Army Air Corps so he doctored my results and I was kicked off the course. I told friends and family a fake reason why I was kicked off and over the years I believed it myself!
We all have these locked and bomb-proof compartments in our heads, who knows what may happen when they are opened! I may have a few more such compartments