Done Adulting Vol. 1 Ch. 79

The day after the fair had been normal; there were no lingering questions or assertions or complaints. Jamie didn’t care about the beer. That seemed to matter a lot more to everyone else than it did to him. He didn’t need it, and he had never been much of a drinker. It was just the symbolism of it, and symbolism was pretty much all it was. He didn’t get in trouble much, and he didn’t disagree with Mom or Amanda much, so to the extent he had given up most of his autonomy, that didn’t much bear on his day-to-day life. He knew he’d just have to accept that sometimes he wouldn’t get his way, even when it was hypocritical or arbitrary; be prepared to be disappointed and even upset sometimes; trust that he had made the right decision; and that by giving up most of his autonomy, he would be better able to grapple with the issues had led him there.

The day after that, it was well past drop off time, and Ella wasn’t at daycare. Jamie wasn’t worried about her, just disappointed she wasn’t there. He enjoyed her company, and when she was around, Bobby kept his distance, afraid he’d get in trouble for misbehaving just in her general vicinity. Without her, he proved that he hadn’t forgotten Jamie existed and that he didn’t like him.

First it was Jamie’s outfit. He’d worn his new purple overalls with the bunny on the butt, so Bobby called him ‘Sissy Bunny Butt.’ Jamie didn’t mind the name, but around the two hundredth repetition of it, his patience was thin.

Jamie tried to draw. Bobby sat next to him and bumped his chair.

Jamie tried to read. Bobby decided to loudly hum in the reading corner.

Enough was enough. Jamie could see only one solution. He had to tell. He had to man up and tattle. Bobby landed in timeout.

“Thanks, April,” Jamie said.

“Don’t mention it. He was begging for it.”

But all timeouts come to an end, and if timeouts were going to deter Bobby, they’d have done so a dozen bullying victims ago. Everyone went outside, and Jamie went to the back of the field to be alone and put in his headphones, blocking out the world and reading his book. That was how Bobby found him, laying on the grass.

“I don’t like you,” the little snot told him again. Jamie couldn’t hear him, so Bobby stooped down to shout it inches away from Jamie’s ear.

Jamie was out of patience; he stood up and took out one of his earphones. “Yeah, you’ve said that before. Can I help you with something or what?”

Bobby kicked grass and dust at him. When Jamie didn’t respond, he announced it angrily. “I’m kicking dirt on you!” He couldn’t understand why Jamie didn’t cry or at least get angry. If he got angry, Jamie might try to hit him, and then Bobby could hit back without getting in as much trouble, and Bobby was sure he would win. “Do something!”

Jamie gave up on getting to read. He knew the only way he’d get any peace and quiet was to change into his running outfit and start doing laps. He could outrun Bobby easily. He stood up and started walking away, getting no more than three steps before Bobby shoved him from behind. He turned around to avoid being shoved again, and Bobby delivered a glancing sucker punch to Jamie’s shoulder.

“Oof! Goddamit!” Of course Jamie wanted to hit back, but he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t hit a regressed little. It was just wrong. But Bobby didn’t know that. He stood waiting for Jamie’s response so he could hit him for real. Jamie backed away. If this was victory, it was very unsatisfying for Bobby, who lost his temper and tried to tackle Jamie. The clumsy mental toddler was easily dodged, and he tripped over his own feet as he went by.

Bobby got up and tried again with the same result. And a third time. Unable to accomplish anything he wanted to achieve, Bobby did the second-best thing he could think of and threw a tantrum. Whatever instinct to help him Jamie might normally have felt wasn’t operating. He left Bobby pounding his feet and hands into the ground and walked over to Jordan.

“One of yours, right?”

“Sorry?” She hadn’t talked to Jamie much. He pointed to Bobby, still on the ground, having worn himself out.

She sighed. Bobby wasn’t going anywhere so she took Jamie by the hand and approached April. Jamie wasn’t sure if he was in trouble or not. If he was, then he knew it was bullshit and wasn’t going to submit to it.

“Hey, April. I think we need a better plan on how to resolve this Jamie/Bobby thing.”

Jamie explained it. April had him lift his shirt so she could see his shoulder. It looked fine, but she gave it a kiss anyway.

“What Bobby needs is his butt spanked,” Jordan said.

Jamie grimaced. “If that was ever going to fix anything, it would’ve fixed it by now.”

April wasn’t unsympathetic to the desire to turn the brat over her knee, but she agreed with Jamie. “You say that about him very other day, and you know we can’t anyway.” She turned to Jamie. “He’ll stop picking on you when he realizes there’s no upside to it.”

“And ...” Jamie asked when she didn’t say more.

“So you used to work with kids. What stops a bully from bullying someone?”

Jamie knew the answer: when the bully realizes the victim is not a soft target. “No. I won’t,” he said.

“Even if we promise you won’t get in trouble,” Jordan asked.

“Yes. I’m not hitting someone who can’t even tie his own shoes. And even if he could, no.”

“Well, then we’ll talk to Diane and maybe she’ll schedule a parent conference or something.”