(Set in 1984....)
(Original Blog Posting: Oct 2005)
When I went to the juniors for the first time I was in the land of the giants. Once again, like in the infants, all the kids in the playground were much bigger than me and much more frightening.
Break time came and all was scary.
"Hey Milky Bar Kid!!" a voice yelled and the same thing again from another voice. A punch to the stomach from out of nowhere struck me down to the cold playground concrete and had me crying on the floor. I looked up and saw the menacing figures of Langstav and his friends who bullied me somewhat 3-4 years ago in the infants. To be honest I forgot about them, but they sure did not forget about me.
I was bullied and called names in the infants because of my glasses. I hated those glasses, they made me look like The Milky Bar Kid.
The whole Milky Bar Kid thing in the infants was humoured by myself and my mum. Mum dressed me up in a cowboy suit at a school fete and I won the dress-up competition hands down! I won again that year later dressed as Popeye! I still remember to that day wearing stockings on my arm with tennis balls up them to look like muscles (mum even drew Popeye's tattoo on them too).
Looking back. The whole Milky Bar Kid was something that started off as a cruel nickname towards me but ended up being humoured and embraced. Much like when Jesus' followers were called Christians by the Romans as a jeering name and then over the years turned into a badge of honour.
Oh yeah... Back to the horrible bullying scene.
Langstav and his goons crowded around me in a semi circle. From what I remember they were calling me names and not letting me get up.
Ironically. Langstav wore glasses himself and at this time I had just stopped wearing them. I had no idea what his beef with me was. Maybe he and friends were establishing themselves as the top dogs of the 'prison yard'. All of a sudden the semi-circle broke up and a mass brawl ensured.
THE RUMBLETUMS!!! Yes, The Rumbletums came to my rescue.
The name Rumbletums from what I can remember was from a Kellogs breakfast cereal promotion and part of when The Weetabix Gang were around.
The Rumbletums of
Blaise Primary were lead by my hero and role model at the time - Perkins! Perkins was the man. His mum and my mum were good friends and he always looked out for me as a kid. I picked up a lot from Perkins and he always had my back during the Juniors.
I can describe the fight as either a punch up from The A-team or a Backstage beatdown from a wrestling show where the good guys run in and make the save.
Either way, this whole playground fight was entertaining to watch. Langstav was on the receiving end of an almighty "kick to the goolies" by Perkins, and shortly after that he fled and took his band of 'mutants' with him.
The Rumbletums checked to see if I was OK. It was re-assuring and less scary to know that I had the toughest gang in the juniors looking out for me.
As weeks went by, I was made an honourary Rumbletum and got made to feel like one of the 'Cool Kids'. I learned a lot from them. I learned that kicking someone in the goolies is a great advantage in a fight (and that helped me a few times). I even learned some great and colourful new words... Words that got me into trouble some time later...
Langstav and co tried to get me again a few times after yet and more kicks to the 'goolies' ensured. The gang war between The Rumbletums and The Langstav Goons continued until the ever intimidating Mr Hayball stood in and intervened.
And that... is another story.
Christmas: Day 6 of 12
