there is always someone in our lives whom everybody can live without. an aunt, a classmate, a neighbor, a celebrity figure.
for me, that person is *drumroll*
The Bully.
she terrorizes the staffroom like no other. she prowls around the corridors and preys on unsuspecting innocent creatures (like ME) and does what she does best:
BULLIES.
now, you must be thinking, "a teacher being a bully? what is that all about?"
(okay, maybe you're not thinking that. but whatever. you should, so that the following sentence is of use to you:)
YES. The Bully is the only teacher in the school whom i would gladly like to see resign and perhaps join the navy and be shipped off to Antarctica to live with penguins.
The Bully is tall, fair, blonde(ish) and 50-something years old. when she enters the Staffroom, all the teachers that happen to be present there avert her gaze, hoping and praying that she doesn't strike up a conversation with them. because unlike normal chit-chat and banter, this is what The Bully talks about:
"my daughter and her husband are having a grand time vacationing in Italy! where have YOUR children been for their holidays?"
"my grandchildren say the funniest things. they love how active i am with them! all my other friends praise me for how fit i look. what diet are you on? are you even on a diet?"
"i'm renovating my house in London. you hear that? LONDON. do you know how expensive it is? oh, maybe you don't. what kind of properties do you own?"
"your earrings are lovely! i had a similar pair a couple of years ago when they were in style. i sold them off a while back at a cheap price, because that's what they are now, don't you agree? how much gold have you bought this year?"
apart from all of her showing-off and nosiness, you know what is really perturbing?
the fact that she has got her eyes on ME.
why me?
because i'm her favourite victim.
why am i her favourite victim?
(okay, i need to stop asking so many questions)
because I'M THE YOUNGEST. all my life i've been taught to treat all adults with respect, which has gotten me into loads of tricky situations recently. being a teacher's assistant, i am obligated to help my fellow faculty members in whichever way i can, ONLY if it concerns actual work related to the syllabus.
The Bully takes advantage of my position and asks me to do stuff totally unrelated to what i am employed for.
example 1:
The Bully: come here!
me: yes?
The Bully: get me a glass of water!
example 2:
The Bully: come here!
me: yes?
The Bully: carry my bag for me!
(i-wish-this-were-an) example 3:
The Bully: come here!
me: *runs away screaming*
i am not a personal assistant. my job is teaching children specific parts of their syllabus, NOT carrying other teachers' stuff around like a peon. i know, i should stand up for myself and learn to say 'no', but that 'no' could get me fired. The Bully has been around for 9 years, and since this is only my first year, i have almost no right to point out how unfair she is most of the time. plus, she's an adult. and old adult. i am nothing but a duckling in front of her dinosaur-ness, which in The Bully's eyes translates into me being too inexperienced to even open my mouth.
maybe one day, when i'm a proper lady and The Bully announces her retirement, i shall tell her how mean she has been to me, and how i have silently burdened myself with all the things she has asked me to do for her. she'll probably have this reply ready for me:
"well, at least i'm rich."
yeah and then i'll only have your support to help me get over it, haha.
x
click here to read The Staffroom Grapevine - Part 1
