D y N a M i T e * * *

i was a more than ordinary boy. i had a strange confidence when i started 7th grade. i remember dancing with an 8th grade girl at a dance and being completely myself. when i look back on photos of myself from 7-12th grade i often ask myself, "what was it?"

what was it about me that made me susceptible to being a targeted kid?
was it my skinny frame?
was it my kindness?
was it my laugh?
was it my scratchy voice?
was it my hand gestures?
was it my style?
was it my interest in art?
was it my lack of hand-eye coordination?
was it my academic success?
was it my choice to be a swimmer?
was it my naivety?
was it my pink plaid shirt?

i use to cry with my mom before leaving for school, and in between sobs let out the question, "why me?" she never had an answer for me. i still don't have answers to my questions, but i have a lot of stories to share.

in my line of work there are a lot of children looking for answers to the same questions. i don't always have answers, but i have empathy for their pain. i am a more than ordinary man. i have a strange confidence about me.
i show love.