I Digress #4 - Strong Armed!

I had a memory come to me just now that made me laugh. If I don't write it down, I may forget for another 10 years!! :) It was 5th grade on a Tuesday and I got anxious as I watched the clock. *DING* It was FINALLY time to go to the playground!! I raced (walked fast) down the hallways of the elementary school and around the corner passing the cafeteria and taking a shortcut at "The Ark"... and there behind the portables were a few picnic tables where I would be participating in a very important event on this day. Kids had already gathered and were waiting for me to catch my breath so that I could compete in an ARM WRESTLING match. I know.. weird huh? lol. It was a big thing back then and even though I was a realllllly shy and very kind girl, I was STRONG and everyone loved to watch me beat the boys my age in arm wrestling! :)

I sat down at the table and across from me was Robert.. the boy I had a crush on in 3rd grade. We locked hands and someone said "GO!" I don't remember, but it's possible that I humiliated him that day as the match was up in 5 seconds, his arm went down FAST!! There were giggles, and whispers behind me and a few friends cheering me on. I went through several boys beating them all. I had earned a reputation of being the "nice bully". It sounds weird coming from ME, but I only had the bully nickname because I was strong and good at arm wrestling. I can't express how weird it is for me to be writing about this experience! It sounds so funny written out! LOL!!

I arm wrestled a couple more boys and beat them too. My arm was starting to get tired. No one else wanted to wrestle me. I got up and rubbed my arm. Just then.. a girl sat down and said "I'll take you on." I looked over and fear struck me.. it was Christina Bacerra.. The only REAL girl bully that year at Emerson Elementary... She was strong, mean, and I was afraid of her. As was everyone, including the boys!! She was always in trouble and had a constant scowl on her face. I never saw her laugh or smile unless she was making fun of me or picking on some one else. She was always in the principal's office for getting in fist fights. And now.. here she was, wanting to arm wrestle ME!!!!!! Sweet innocent Stacy. The crowd was silent... I made up some excuse like the bell was going to ring and we had to start getting back. She put her elbow on the table and said, "We have enough time, let's do this! SIT DOWN!" I felt defeated already.. plus my arm was tired from all the previous matches I'd done. It was quite an unfair disadvantage.

I sat back down and cupped my hand in hers. She squeezed it hard and I was scared. The crowd was still silent as they were all afraid of cheering me on for fear they'd get beaten up later! No one even said "GO!"... So, Christina said it fast and started right in! It took me by surprise so she almost took me down in a split second! But I was able to regain my pride when I powered in with all my 5th grade strength. We were definitely a good challenge for each other because that match was LONG!!! (probably only 2 or 3 mins, but it was long back then!) We both struggled, she'd almost pin my arm down, and then I'd almost pin hers down. It went back and forth... At the end, she almost had me and I knew I didn't have it in me to fight back. BUT, I had a plan. She was an inch or two away from winning and I was hanging on for dear life. The bell rang and no one moved.. they HAD to see who would win this intense match!! Christina kept saying, "You KNOW I have you, so let go!! You know I'm going to win!!" I have a little competitive side to me and that made me want to win MORE! My plan was I figured she'd use all her energy trying to get me down the last couple inches and then when she had no more strength left, I'd exert everything left inside of me to make this huge come back!!! It was all planned out in my head, I just had to hold on and wait it out!

Just then... Monica, one of Christina's mean friend's walked by and pushed our hands down just enough for my knuckles to hit the table making Christina jump up from the table screaming and shouting that she won!! The crowd started dispersing FAST! My awesome plan had been FOILED!!! I never used to get mad at that age, but I was upset and said that it wasn't fair because Monica pushed our hands down. I immediately decided that was probably NOT the best thing to say, because Christina came and got in my face and said, "HEY! I won fair and square!! You can't beat me and you weren't going to!" I said we should have a rematch the next day to make it fair. She just scowled at me and left to go to class.

We never did have that match. However, after arm wrestling Christina Bacerra that day, I gained her respect and she was nice to me the rest of that year and all of 6th grade as well. But ever since then, I've always wondered what would've happened if we ended up having that rematch in 5th grade.. especially if my arm hadn't have been sore from all the previous games. It doesn't really matter any more, but that doesn't keep me from thinking that I would've TAKEN HER DOWN TOWN IN TEN FLAT!!!! lol. Oh, there goes my competitive side talking again. :)

Fun memory to have had this afternoon. :) I was a bully.. That still makes me laugh.