Page 51 - TEARS OF SUFFERING

TEARS OF SUFFERING

“Yes, Au.”

“Anyway, I slapped him hard,” said Samphel, “That
should teach him a lesson. But if he repeats, we should
take serious action.”

“I think so,” Ugyen said. “But not this time, please. I
want no more trouble.”

Several days passed without the bully’s intemperate
behavior in the school. Things settled down without him
taking center stage. But Samphel was anxious he might
resurface and cause further trouble to his brother.

The bully reappeared, one day. He accosted Ugyen with
his friends at lunchtime. He demanded Ugyen to roll up
his deliberately-slackened sleeve. In what seemed to be a
goon behaviour, he scowled at Ugyen as he stretched out
his hand to Ugyen. “Faster, idiot!”

Ugyen’s heart pounded out of his chest. To avoid further
tussle, he rolled his sleeve up, wasting no time. The bully
sneered and walked away with his gang. Ugyen held his
chest and exhaled deeply, watching the boys swagger
away. When the scurrilous boys disappeared behind the
corner, he gnashed his teeth and muttered, “Why me,
God?” He hankered to stab the leader’s backs a hundred
times. Ugyen shuffled into the classroom and sat in his
seat, eyes downcast. As he recollected the incident, he
broke down in a paroxysm of anger.

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