Pecking Order

Boarding school is one of the greatest levelers one could ever possibly hope to encounter. It is here that you discovered just where you stood in terms of pecking order.  I'm afraid to say, that I soon learned very quickly that I was pretty much at the bottom end of the ocean in terms of pecking order.  Yes, right down there with all the mud-sucking fish!  Not a nice place to be, or a great feeling to have, but that was the reality.  Still, I never gave up trying to elevate myself to a slightly higher level.

Whenever any games were played and teams were chosen, I soon learned what it felt like to reluctantly be picked last.  I continued to offer myself, but sadly I was overlooked again and again.

We used to play a particular game known as "Bok Bok", where you had to tuck your head into the behind of the person in front of you, until a sort of train was formed.  I could never quite get the hang of the game beyond knowing that the opposite side had to jump on your backs and try to collapse you.  One very large, fat girl repeatedly made it her mission to fall heavily on top of me at every turn.  Very disconcerting!

All disagreements were settled at the top field and I can vividly remember on many occasions saying "I'll get you after lunch at the top field."  One of the girls in my class in an effort to get out of any kind of confrontation said to me once, " Only cheap girls fight," to which I replied "So you think you're expensive?"  This ridicules reply got us falling about and laughing so much, that any fight we might of had, went right out the window. 

I did however challenge the best fighter in the school to a fight at the top field, but she made mincemeat of me and had me slinking away with my tail between my legs, a very bruised ego and a even more bruised arm to show for it.  We did however become very good friends at one stage, to the point where she would break her chocolate bar in half and offer it to me.

As I mentioned before,  boarding school sorts out the "women" from the "girls" so to speak.  There is nothing new under the sun and popular girls will always have everyone clambering to be in their circle, while those who are further down the food chain, suffer the ignominious
degradation of being asked to leave a group in order to placate someone supposedly more popular.  On reflection, I know that the problem lay with the other person and not with me, but at a young and tender age, it's difficult to look at life objectively, especially when one is so closely involved.