The "Fight" in the Alley

 1981

 

It was 8^th grade, the time in life when people in my middle school were the kings and queens, running the school, as far as we were concerned. Not me, though. I was just trying to get through. Like all schools, there were some boys who spent their days trying to assert their dominance. I wasn't the most masculine student, and one day an eighth-grader named Steve decided that he was offended by me.

Steve was an eighth-grade football player. I was about 5'5" at the time, and he was nearly 6 feet tall. He was a pretty big guy, with about 80 pounds on me. He was also a karate student. Sarcastically speaking, I was overcome with joy at the prospect of fighting him. 

Steve buzzed it around school that I was gay, and had hit on him. Naturally, the other guys egged him on to kick my butt.  So on a Monday he announced that he and I were fighting on Thursday morning, 15 minutes before school started, right in front of the school. Interestingly, I had no idea for over a day that this was the case. I guess everyone thought I knew, so no one mentioned it. Imagine my shock upon hearing it!

Steve was much larger than I was, and had a reputation for being a pretty good fighter. In other words, I’d rather not have to do this. But I also knew if I didn’t show, I’d be considered a coward. As far as everyone knew, I was a boy. Being considered a coward would mean every boy in school would be looking to fight me, just to improve their own reputation. 

Wednesday, I ran into him in the hallway. My middle school, the former high school, was an old, three story tall building with a full basement that was also classrooms, and there were a huge number of stairways. You could easily go for days and not run into someone. We were supposed to meet to fight the next morning. I had no idea why I did this, but I told him I didn’t want to meet in front of the school, because we’d just get suspended. I told him I wanted to meet in an alley that was a block away from the back of the school, a half-hour before school started. He agreed. Thankfully, there were witnesses, including some of the cheerleaders. In my community, the cheerleaders had the power.

Thursday morning came, and I was there in the alley, 10 minutes early. I guess I’m an idiot. Who comes early to get their butt kicked? But hey. My dad had taught me to be early for things. I stood nervously, looking at my watch, and waited. And waited. And waited. No one showed, not even spectators. I was only a few minutes from being late for school. Finally, I went down the street to the school. As I walked in, a passing girl announced “Here comes the pussy!” Cue the laughter.

I was surprised, and told her I waited at the agreed upon spot, and Steve never showed. The kids that were laughing heard it too. I went to my locker, grabbed my books, and went to class. In the next few hours, the ridicule of me for not showing for the fight became kids telling me it was cool that I had “won” the fight. Steve, it seemed, forgot he had agreed to meet in the alley. So, he and a bunch of his closest friends waited in front of the school along with the potential spectators. So, Steve was a no-show. In middle school social rules, I had won the fight.

Steve found me in the hallway at the end of the day, and told me he wanted to fight. I told him bluntly that I’d pass. I had won, and that was that. His friends told him it was fair, and to back off, and the result of the day was that I won!