I first met Kurt in 3rd grade. He was already a gangly weird looking kid. Who was I to judge though, I was one of two Asian face in a lily white school. Kurt rode my bus. Long arms, tall and a curly Jew-fro, even though he was German as fuck. One day on the playground, Kurt took the opportunity to take a running start towards me, before I could react, he kicked me dead in the dick. I doubled over. And he ran off cackling. Girls around us were gasping, unsure what had just happened. When I gathered my breath, I chased him down, shoulder tackled him and beat the fuck out of him. At least tried. You try wrestling with an octopus. I pounded his face, maybe got him good in the ear. Looking back I should've grabbed some grass and made him eat it. Then we were pried apart. The fucker was STILL laughing.
We're still friends to this day. His birthday is even a few days after mine, but a year later, a detail he relishes in reminding me, as well as the kick in the nuts.
My point being, there is value to dudes beating on each other and walking away lifelong friends. Today, this would result in knives or guns and then...two destroyed futures. I'm saying, when young people get into a fistfight, you never know what results. It's not of any malice, then bored boys being boys. Today, we've taken all of this out because of liability. Or the (understandable) need to protect children. When you're young you're resilient. Because the end the result could be these school shootings that are so rampant today. It was unheard of back then in the 80's. Shooting up schools had no value. The simple embarrassment is also a very good lesson in what life will give you. Again, today, too many young folk seem they are owed something without effort. Or even taking a hit to the nuts. It seems most people these days take a step back and already see failure. It's not. We don't all get a trophy. I've had friends in college that were made the same way. Drunken brawls that resulted in lifelong friendship. That is the point. Adversity finds you the oddest compatriot.
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