Dear Brother

Dear Brother,
I have never told you this ( and probably never will ), but I have always looked up to you, my brother, even when it seemed we were the worst of foes. I never really understood why I did. Was it because you were older than me? Maybe. Or was it because you seemed so much smarter than me? Perhaps. I think, however, that it was the fact that you acted strong, and you did things that I didn’t have the courage to do. You always stood up for yourself, and occasionally me as well.
You’re probably asking yourself why I’m saying all this. Well, my brother, I witnessed something that reminded me of the way you used to be, back when we were small. You are, of course, aware that we ride the bus still, as I am not yet old enough to drive to school. Every day I sit and just observe the other students on the bus, and every day it strikes me all over again how emotionally immature the students can be. For example:
Lately a few of the younger boys that are in 7th or 8th grade have been... what’s the word... ‘badgering’ would be the most appropriate word, an older girl who I know to be a junior. They do nothing overtly serious, just little things to annoy her, but I’ve observed that when this particular girl gets a tad too annoyed she has a tendency to become a bit violent. Not violent in the sense that she’s pull a knife or gun out, but hitting, kicking, stomping of feet, that sort of thing. As the days went by I watched her become more and more annoyed, and thus more and more violent.
First, she tried asking (well more like ordering) them to leave her alone and not to talk to her at all. Then, when that didn’t work, the started stomping on feet. After a few days of stomping on feet she became exasperated with the little boys’ immaturity she decided to switch tactics and ignore them. The little boys were not only immature but also dense, for when they saw that she wasn’t reacting to them, one of the little ones decided to try something new. He decided to ‘cat call’ at her as she was getting on the bus. It was nothing too bad, after all he was only in 7th grade, just ‘Hey baby, what’s up’.
What the boy didn’t know was that the girl was extremely sensitive when it came to being called things like baby and sweetheart. She did not tolerate it at all. Now, the girl was still ignoring the boys so she let the first two times he said it slide, but by the time she got to his seat she was fed up! So, thinking fast, she slapped the boy in his thick head. And continued walking on her way.
During the ride the girl noticed the boy discussing what had happened. The girl was over it now, thinking she would be left alone after that. The little boy’s friend, however, had over ideas. The friend himself had annoyed the girl as it was, but when the bus was stuck in construction, the friend had the audacity to turn around and clap. He told the girl she did a good job by slapping the other boy in the head. The girl refused to acknowledge him so eventually he turned around. By now, the girl knew something was going to happen.
Sure enough, when the girl was getting off the bus, as she got one seat ahead of the boy she slapped in the head he said only one word. ‘Bitch’. That’s all, nothing more. The girl snapped. She swung into the seat in front of the boy and punched him as hard as she could in that think head. Of course it didn’t faze him. She got in his face and yelled at him to never talk to her.
As te girl was getting off the bus the driver asked her what happened. She told the driver and got off the bus. The next day the driver told her she had to be written up for hitting a student. The girl figured something like that would happen so she said that was fine. Besides, she liked the driver and knew it wasn’t her fault. The girl didn’t get on the bus that afternoon.
I later learned that she only got a warning and didn’t get on the bus because she stayed after for a club.
Now your thinking ‘That’s a great story band all, but what’s that got to do with anything?’. Well, that girl reminded me of an incident when were first moved to Wallenpaupack and you punched that kid in the head in our defense. Sometimes I wish I could be like you and that girl. I think that memory of you punching that kid in the head is one of my favorites, because you were strong and larger than life in my eyes.
Now, sadly, I have been disillusioned. It happened rater suddenly. It seemed like one day, all of a sudden, I realized you are only stronger and bigger than me physically. In mind I am older than you, for most of the time anyway (upon further consideration, I think it’s not always good to mature at a fast rate). I only wish I didn’t take you moving out and your girlfriend leaving you to set you down that path. I truly hope that you stay on that path and keep up as you are.

Sincerely,
Your Loving Sister

P.S. If you’re wondering what became of that girl, and if the little boys left her alone, I don’t know yet. I guess, like with you, we shall just have to wait and see.