O'Doyle Rules!

I can't believe it. Don't want to admit it. I'm in my thirties so it hadn't crossed my mind as a possibility. But it's true. And now I have to deal with it.

I. Have. A bully! Or a reasonable facsimile.

For those of you who don't know I am once again a full time student currently in my second term at Harrison college. New classes started last week so I'm acquainting myself with brand new material, three new instructors and some classmates I've yet to meet. Classes at Harrison are centered around participation and group learning which I love. People with my personality type tend to thrive in that type of environment. What can I say? It combines my two favorite things: learning about interesting subjects and running my mouth.

I first noticed a person had taken interest in me Tuesday of last week. I would make a comment or answer a question and would immediately here a mumble from the opposite side of the room. I didn't think too much about it; people mumble all the time. None of my business. Right? Right. Besides, I wasn't sure who was speaking let alone what was being said.

Thursday I really began to see a pattern. I identified my attacker and deciphered some of the comments. While this person voiced her overall disdain for the class, the instructor and the material at random, specific negative remarks were landing after my comments in iambic pentameter. Today the activity escalated yet another notch.

Me: atomic number = number of protons in the nucleus. atomic mass = total number of protons and neutrons.

Facsimile: pishhhahh.

Me: I remember it this way, protons = pro = positive, neutron = neu = neutral.

Facsimile: yeahwhateverthatmakesnosensewhatsoever. Sheshhhhhhh.

Me: at one point I had to memorize the table of elements. All except for the lanthanides and actinides (after being specifically asked a question by the instructor).


Facsimile: didanyoneelseunderstandanyofthat, no? Ididn'tthinkso. Pishhhhaahh!


I should probably throw in that another person in our class is so into chemistry that every time he opens his mouth even the instructor gets confused. He might as well be speaking Sanskrit. He vomited a particularly obtuse string of words that had the whole class reeling so I offered to translate for him which was well received by the entire class save one.


Facsimile: ohjesuschristyouhavetobefuckingkiddingme.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I get along with every person that knows me; I won't say that everyone I meet likes me right away. But I do know that once in awhile, every two or three years I meet someone that absolutely hates every bone in my body and wants me to know it. I know I rub some folks the wrong way so-to-speak. I'm an adult and I handle it.

A particularly difficult concept came up and I was once again specifically asked by the instructor if I had a different way to approach the subject and I said "nope". Three faces turned to me as if to ask "why not?". "I don't want to make this harder for anyone. I just don't think I can explain it so everybody will understand." Two more faces. "I don't think I have anything instructive to offer.". Five pleading faces. "Sorry", I mouthed in a whisper. "I'm done for today."

I spent the remainder of the class paying attention, answering questions in unison with the rest of my classmates, feeling dejected, smug, angry, sad and awesome at the same time. When class dismissed I gathered my things and a few fellow pupils I didn't even really know gave me a nod or smile. One girl I'd never even talked to said something along the lines of "when exactly did you take a shit in her cereal?"

As I was leaving the instructor pulled me aside, asked me to stay after for a minute. Uh-oh! I knew for a fact that I wasn't in trouble but just like it's been about a hundred years since I've had a bully it's been even longer since I've officially been asked to stay after class.

It seemed to me that everyone was taking their damn time leaving the room and I started to feel rather sick to my stomach. I had to present the first speech of the term in front of many many people I didn't know in less than two hours.

A hot mess, I was!

Hours later it seemed everyone was gone save my instructor and me. Now I really like this particular teacher; she taught two of my classes the previous quarter and we have a great rapport. She thinks and relates material a certain way because that's the way she understands it. I am her polar opposite. I process information like a young child or someone with a learning disability. I take what I find easy and build up to greater concepts utilizing mnemonic devices, movie quotes and visual diagrams. My learning techniques are often silly and funny and she likes that about me.

Ms. Awesome Instructor pleads with me not to shut down. Asks me if I know why
Facsimile is attacking me. Wants to know what I think about the whole situation and if we knew each other. I assure her I have no idea who the hell she is and wonder about it myself.

She then asked me a question that really shook me. She asked if I wanted her to take Facsimile aside and speak to her...... And I'm thinking: I'm 30 (something) years old and the teacher is keeping me after class to ask me about why I'm being bullied and do I want her to intervene.... Fuck!

No no no. I tell her I will handle it myself if the behavior continues or escalates. Besides, with an attitude like that, Facsimile will most likely quit
before the end of the term anyway.