A bully became my friend

By Don Soule

When I was in fourth grade, my family moved to another town, and I entered school late in the fall term. I didn't know anybody, and the first boy I did meet turned out to be a bully. At the end of my first day, the teacher dismissed the class by rows. This was new to me, and I asked a question just before she started dismissing us.

Her answer couldn't have delayed our dismissal more than a few seconds, but it was enough to make this boy mad.