From Not Always Right:Don’t Write Checks Your Crutches Can’t Cash
This is a story from my first year of high school. A young boy with mobility issues attended a number of my classes; some days he would get around using a pair of crutches, and on bad days, he would use a wheelchair. He was also well below average height and suffered from what is known locally as “Wee Man Syndrome”. In other words, he would regularly try to pick fights with people much, much bigger than him for little or no reason. Although, he was fairly safe in the knowledge that nobody wanted to be known as the person who fought the small kid in a wheelchair.
That is, until the events of this story.
One day, in the middle of a class, our teacher had to step out. I don’t know why, but we were left unsupervised for what felt like a really long time, and most of us kids started to have a laugh and carry on.
Now, I forget what started it but the kid, who was using his crutches on this occasion, took exception to something a much taller boy said and made a critical error of judgment.
Wee Guy: “I want to fight you.”
Tall Kid: “What did you say?”
Wee Guy: “You heard me: I want to fight you. Square go, right now!”
His error of judgment here was that the kid he was speaking to had a reputation for being a bit wild and for not taking crap from anyone, not even from teachers (hence having spent a fair bit of time in detention).
Tall Kid: “Aye,. Okay, then. Let’s go.”
At that point, he got out of his seat and walked over to the Wee Guy’s desk. The Wee Guy promptly panicked and tried to hit him over the head with one of his crutches. The Tall Kid snatched the crutch out of the air, threw it away, and then picked the Wee Guy up by his collar.
Guilt is not what you should feel. Work hard and enjoy the rewards. When your needs are met spread a little around. Do what you can. Putting yourself in either financial or emotional discomfort won’t help anyone.
I see it here in the comments every day, angry justification for not helping others or not reducing carbon footprint. That is what guilt gets you – anger and rebellion against the worthy cause. We don’t need anger and hate (which come from guilt). We need awareness and empathy.
Yakety Sax about 1 month ago
From Not Always Right:Don’t Write Checks Your Crutches Can’t Cash
This is a story from my first year of high school. A young boy with mobility issues attended a number of my classes; some days he would get around using a pair of crutches, and on bad days, he would use a wheelchair. He was also well below average height and suffered from what is known locally as “Wee Man Syndrome”. In other words, he would regularly try to pick fights with people much, much bigger than him for little or no reason. Although, he was fairly safe in the knowledge that nobody wanted to be known as the person who fought the small kid in a wheelchair.
That is, until the events of this story.
One day, in the middle of a class, our teacher had to step out. I don’t know why, but we were left unsupervised for what felt like a really long time, and most of us kids started to have a laugh and carry on.
Now, I forget what started it but the kid, who was using his crutches on this occasion, took exception to something a much taller boy said and made a critical error of judgment.
Wee Guy: “I want to fight you.”
Tall Kid: “What did you say?”
Wee Guy: “You heard me: I want to fight you. Square go, right now!”
His error of judgment here was that the kid he was speaking to had a reputation for being a bit wild and for not taking crap from anyone, not even from teachers (hence having spent a fair bit of time in detention).
Tall Kid: “Aye,. Okay, then. Let’s go.”
At that point, he got out of his seat and walked over to the Wee Guy’s desk. The Wee Guy promptly panicked and tried to hit him over the head with one of his crutches. The Tall Kid snatched the crutch out of the air, threw it away, and then picked the Wee Guy up by his collar.
(Contd)
cdward about 1 month ago
Looking honestly at yourself helps you look more honestly at the larger concerns of the world. Both are required.
gammaguy about 1 month ago
“Class guilt spreads the responsibility.”
Unfortunately, many individuals feel that it spreads the responsibility away from themselves.
Carl Premium Member about 1 month ago
“The more I love humanity in general the less I love man in particular." ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
Carl Premium Member about 1 month ago
IF you prefer the modern approach “I love humanity, its people I can’t stand!”-Linus
uniquename about 1 month ago
Why some of us are so much luckier than others is one of those things that’s difficult to accept about life.
P51Strega about 1 month ago
Guilt is not what you should feel. Work hard and enjoy the rewards. When your needs are met spread a little around. Do what you can. Putting yourself in either financial or emotional discomfort won’t help anyone.
I see it here in the comments every day, angry justification for not helping others or not reducing carbon footprint. That is what guilt gets you – anger and rebellion against the worthy cause. We don’t need anger and hate (which come from guilt). We need awareness and empathy.
Stephen Gilberg about 1 month ago
You can tell the writer is pretty old by the capitalization of a season.
markkahler52 about 1 month ago
Who’s the guy standing behind them?