The Fight

My boys are 11 months apart in age. I think God is still chuckling about that one.

They are very close, but it was not always that way. I brainwashed them when they were little. They would irritate each other endlessly, but I kept telling them that they were best friends. They didn't buy it for a long time. We implemented some rules like never cheer against your brother in a game, never speak badly about a family member, and always protect each other. Slowly, they started appreciating each other more, laughing at each other's jokes, and even enjoying each other's company.

They are now 13 and 14 and complete opposites. Josiah is older, looks like a grown man, and plays every sport. Drake is smaller, does not enjoy sports, and is hilarious. They are a team. They have their own way of thinking, and they completely understand each other. They are unbeatable during a game of Pictionary.

They both have trouble with a group of mean boys at school. These boys hang together and enjoy being punks to anyone who gets in their way. You know the type.

These mean boys have been sitting next to Josiah and his friends during lunch, and began tossing food onto them. After letting it slide for a few days, Josiah and his friends began tossing the food back. Then it all escalated. One kid threw some food that landed on Josiah's sandwich. Josiah threw it back and happened to hit the other kid's head with it. The guy stood up and marched over to Josiah and shouted inches from his face to quit throwing food. Josiah shouted the same thing right back. The kid introduced Josiah to every usage of various swear words and stalked away.

According to the school rules, Josiah should have just remained silent and let the incident die down. He didn't. He called the kid a name. Not a nice one. He only said one word, but that was enough. The kid turned around, stared Josiah down for a few seconds, then, while Josiah remained sitting at his lunch table, began hammering him. He first punched the side of Josiah's head near the temple. Then he grabbed Josiah around the neck from behind and punched the other side of his head. Then he held Josiah down with both hands and kneed him in the back of the head several times. All of this happened in about thirty seconds.

I asked Josiah why he never hit the kid back. He said he knew he would get in a lot of trouble if he hit someone, and he knew he was bigger and stronger than the other kid. He thought he might hurt him and didn't want to.

As the kid was being pulled from Josiah's back, Josiah laughed. All day long people were making comments about the boy who took a beating and laughed about it. It pretty much elevated him to hero status. They are saying he laughed because he is so tough the punches didn't even hurt. They are saying he laughed because he knew the other kid would get in a lot of trouble. If you ask him, he will tell you he laughed because the first thing he saw when he looked up was Drake standing front and center with a goofy expression giving him a double thumbs up. He was proud of his brother for finally standing up to this bully. His goofy look made Josiah laugh.

Josiah was okay except for some goose eggs on his head and some bruises. Drake walked around the school like only a proud brother can, and Josiah got a one day suspension for the name calling. I think Team Hintz was a success.