I was a skinny, shy, introverted, asthmatic, wheezy wimp of a kid. Perhaps that is why John Cybulski saw fit to terrorize me. He wasn’t a bully like bullies you hear about today; I don’t remember him stealing my lunch or locking me in the bathroom. He picked on me though. Picked on my friends. Inspired fear, somehow.
When I read this article about Obama changing the way we do foreign policy, I thought back to John Cybulski.
As I remember it, two events leveled the playing field.
Forced off of my Royce Union bicycle, he threw me down onto the grass. I probably prompted the attack-“Hey Cybulski where do the Polish keep their armies? In their sleevies!” I remember the struggle, the flying fists, the anger and frustration. No blood was drawn, no clear-cut winner established. I’d fought back though, and held my own.
The second event came at lunch time. Picture the school cafeteria, rows of benches and tables. I remember the scene exactly. I don’t remember what Cybulski did to make me so angry. Angry enough so that I temporarily lost my mind.
There he stands two tables over, chatting with his friends. There I sit, half-eaten lunch, no appetite for more. I grab hold of my leftover banana with peel, and fling it as hard as I possibly can, nailing John Cybulski dead center in the middle of his back.
I had no trouble with him after that. Ever.
As I reflect upon my childhood, I believe that Obama should focus less on breaking bread and shaking hands with the enemy, and focus more on growing bigger bananas.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
No offense--I know we have very different views on many things in life, and you know I love you like a brother despite that, but I hope that we can agree that the politics of 10-year old boys shouldn't be used as a boilerplate template for the politics of grown men who control the armies and weapons of most powerful nations on earth. I know you fundamentally don't agree with my man Obama (actually, my man was Dennis Kucinich, but Obama was a close second), but I would hope that if tomorrow you were stuck for an hour alone in an elevator with the bully from your childhood, that you would (rather than searching for another banana to throw) be able to make peace and say, "Yeah, there were times when I was a jerk, too, and teased you because of your Polish name--no offense and no hard feelings, dude. Shake on it? So what have you been up to these past 35 years?" I truly believe that this is part of what Obama is doing around the world: trying to mend the bad reputation that has made us a target, and trying to make ammends for the bad things that we have done in our arrogance. Peace has to start somewhere--let's let him try and let's support him (rather than hoping for his failure, as Rush Limbaugh does--and isn't that the very basis of Credit Default Swaps? Where you're betting on someone to fail so that you can cash in on their failure? That makes Rush the Credit Default Swap of Humanity), since some of the others refuse to be the first ones to extend the olive branch. Love ya man. Let's spread that love (rather than bananas) around the world.
Glenn
Hmmmm.....I say, THROW THE BANANA!:o)
Martin,
This is my first time visiting and posting. I came here via "Fallen and Flawed" where I also occasionally post.
~
I must say that prior to President Obama, as a nation we've spent the last 8 years doing almost nothing but throw bananas. And look where it has led. We are now neck-deep in a war that was started under false pretenses. Thousands of Americans and Iraqis dead. An entire world that until very recently saw us only as a bully, a global bully--a bully no different than the one who terrorized you.
~
If, as I surmise, you're implying that the President is only embarking on a diplomatic course because he's unable or unwilling to throw bananas, then I believe his decision to order the Navy SEAL team to rescue captain Phillips from the Somali pirates proves otherwise.
~
I believe it takes much more strength and courage to show restraint, to reach your hand out in diplomacy, to be a peacemaker, than it does to throw bananas in anger.
~
I believe we should support the President's efforts to do so. If all else fails or if we as a nation are once again forced to do so, then let the bananas fly. Until then, I believe we should stay the diplomatic course.
Richard
GB, Richard,
Good points all. Certainly I agree with peace and diplomacy. My fears are that we'll shortsell ourselves in the process though. Obviously, also, I believe that we should also, "....carry a big stick."
I must have missed that part in the Bible where Jesus taught us to "...carry a big stick"--was that where he taught us to throw bananas, too?
Sorry to be sarcastic there, but if we truly believe that love is the answer and that it can save the world, then (now that we're adults, no longer children) we have to really give it a try, and that starts with putting down our "big sticks" and our projectile bananas and showing our open hearts to our fellow human beings, especially those who are such great pain that they might still be too afraid to open their own hearts. We have to lead by stellar example--someone has to.
It all boils down to this: do you believe in the redemptive power of love and mutual respect? Or does that only work when there are guns and bombs backing it up with implied (or explicitly stated) threat? Seems to me those two approaches are mutually exclusive, and even though I'm not as familiar with the Bible as you are I think I know which approach Jesus would have chosen.
Glenn
Post a Comment