They didn't understand

They didn't understand. Mike, Ralph, and Henry waited just around the corner out of Frank's eyesight. Frank was always the last to exit Saint Bartholomew on his way to the school bus. Mike Scoggins, the first in line of the three, had pressed his face against the textured brick of the school to give Frank a false sense of security as he exited the building. Hearing before seeing his target clomp down the steps, Mike pulled his face off the brick it had been pressed against and, as he did so, felt as if his cheek was the loop part of Velcro as the textured brick was reluctant to let his skin go. If it had been some years later, his sebaceous glands would have left some of their oily substance on the bricks.

Frank was relieved as he saw that the three stooges were not in front of the school, which was the status quo. Saint Bartholomew had five steps leading to the front doors. Entering the building did not prove a challenge as he could plant his right leg and foot on the step above, gain purchase, then swing his steel and leather-encased left leg firmly on the step above and quickly maintain balance. Going down was another situation. He would start the same, placing his right foot on the step below and then swinging his left leg down. Unfortunately, the weight of the brace on his left leg would occasionally cause him to take a tumble. This Friday, though, he was successful as he made it safely down. Smiling, he headed around the corner, and then he heard the familiar chant of gimp, gimp, and gimp.

Led by Mike Scoggins, Ralph Savage, and Henry Salem, the three S's, as they were called, had frequently taunted the new kid with the brace since the second week of the school year. They would alternate between yelling gimp, gimp, gimp, and faster Chester, faster Chester, faster Chester. After the taunt, the three would trail behind Frank as he dragged his left leg into the waiting bus. The S's, having completed their day-ending entertainment, parted with a laughing, see ya Monday.

Frank took his seat directly behind the driver, who offered his usual don't mind them. But Frank did mind; his parents had transferred him from the local public middle school, hoping to meet a kinder group of classmates. It hadn't worked. Stricken with Polio at age four, Frank had adjusted to his disability; it was just the way it was. The taunting that started in third grade did not have to be just how it was. There had to be a solution.

Monday morning, an announcement came over the school P.A. We are sorry to announce that Frank Merit passed away this weekend. Every student in the school already knew. Sunday headlines had read. Local youth found hanging in his garage Saturday afternoon. Frank, Ralph, and Henry still didn't understand.