“Get up. Get up so I can hit you again”, screamed Luke. “This ain’t over”.
Ben, bruised and curled up on the ground trying to protect those areas of his body not already beaten had to almost smile at Luke’s demand. “What an offer”, Ben thought. “How could I resist”?
Well Ben couldn’t resist because he had recently told himself that the only way to stop a bully was to confront a bully. And this bully, Luke Nelson, had made Ben his personal target since the fourth grade
From the time Luke started kindergarten at
Then Luke Nelson started to become more selective. First he targeted the boys only and then finally he narrowed his list of bullying victims to those with some trait or ability that made them unique, something that set them apart from the usual elementary school crowd: The fat kid, the smart kid, the kid with a funny name.
It was this last item, the kid with the funny name that had brought Luke Nelson to where he was today, the number one tormentor and bully of Ben.
When the Owens Farm fourth grade class had to write an autobiography and then of course read it in front of the class, Luke Nelson realized who should be his prime, number one target. In Luke’s feeble mind, Ben’s autobiography gave him the perfect reason to bully Ben.
Ben’s name was now the reason he would get more grief and physical pain from Luke’s beatings for years to come.
A few years passed and Ben was now in high school, the ninth grade and Luke still made it his personal duty to torment and bully him at every turn. And this was why Ben was determined to get to his feet and confront Luke Nelson.
“Chicken, ain’t you gonna get up so I can finish you”, screamed Luke hysterical and wide eyed with rage.
Rising to his knees, Ben looked up at Luke standing over him with fists clenched and eyes glaring with anger. Sarcastically, Ben said, “Ain’t? Luke, you just used the word ain’t again. Didn’t you learn that just using that word shows your ignorance?”
Then a swift hard punch sent Ben head first into the ground.
# # #
Ben’s parents Eleanor and Albert had never really considered the consequences of naming their son Benjamin. Ben’s mother’s maiden name was Warner and it was a Warner family tradition that the name Benjamin be given to the first born male child in every generation. It was this way as far back as the family roots could be traced.
The family legend says that there was a Benjamin Warner, who traveled on the sailing ship the
Even today at Warner family reunions and other gatherings of family member, the old folks would reminisce when the food and drink flowed freely, and their tales would often turn to that first Benjamin Warner and how he help conceive and draft the Maryland Toleration Acts way back in 1649. At some point during these gatherings, the grandmothers, grandfathers, great uncles and aunts of the Warner clan would raise a glass of beer or wine and in unison and proclaim “The free men have assented”, that famous ending of that famous document. Whether true or not, all good Warners believed that it was the first Benjamin who penned that famous line.
Then they would inevitably give a knowing nod toward the children and say, “that is why we have so many Benjamins in our family tree, to honor the first”.
# # #
Twenty Years Ago
Eleanor Warner met Albert Dover in their last term at a small community college just outside of her hometown. At first, there were just nervous nods of hello towards each other as they shared classes, then short conversations in the hallways and finally dinners, movies and attending the schools basketball games together.
Friends noted how, when together, Eleanor and Albert seemed much more ready to take on the world after school than when they were apart, “Perfect couple”, “Lovely” said just about everyone they knew.
Not considered particularly pretty or even an outstanding student, Eleanor often wondered why Albert was attracted to her. Albert said that he just loved Eleanor because… well just because.
After graduation Eleanor and Albert got married. Not a grand marriage ceremony, but a good one.
For the time being, Eleanor and Albert moved back to her home town and into the house her family had owned for almost one hundred years now. Work was scarce and Albert was content to live there for a while until he could start a real career. Eleanor though was never comfortable living in her old family house, too many memories.
It seems that Eleanor’s father, named Benjamin of course, was quite a hero in the small town. Several years before, he died saving others in a mining disaster that occurred just outside of town. The story of his heroism had grown with the passing years and now nearly everyone in town had a story of a husband, son or cousin saved that tragic day by the heroics of Benjamin Warner. All in all about thirty miners did die that day but it was Benjamin Warner who was chosen by the town council to be honored with a statue in the town square. Living in this shadow of her family’s and the town’s tragedy had always made Eleanor uneasy.
Soon after settling into the home, Eleanor convinced Albert that it was time to change the luck of her family and a move to another town or state was in order. She explained how memories of her father’s death still haunted her and how she could never escape the terrible memory of that terrible day while living in the town where the terrible events had occurred.
“I have no identity of my own”, Eleanor would say to Albert, “To everyone in this town I’m still only Ben Warner’s daughter, not Eleanor. Why even when I walk by that statue of dad, I don’t think him, but of the other families who lost folks that day. I loved dad but, Albert, I’ve got to move on”.
Albert Dover put the old Warner house up for sale the next day.
Packing up their few belongings, Eleanor and Albert Dover moved to the quiet town of
“I hear its quiet and well off the beaten track”, Albert told his young wife. Eleanor whispered to herself, “Nothing will ever happen to us there”, and she smiled.
Days later, Eleanor and Albert Dover purchased a small house in Owens Farm. And looking back, nothing ever did happen to them, there.
# # #
Twelve Years Ago
Several years after their move, Eleanor and Albert Dover had become typical residents of Owens Farm. Their house was the same as others on the block. Their clothes were not too flashy, not too colorful. Their car was a simple and black, not too new.
Every morning, Albert would kiss Eleanor and walk to his black sedan parked by the curb. If a neighbor or two were out he would offer a hearty “Mornin’” and head to work in the next town over.
With Albert gone, Eleanor would head for the
Their life was uneventful and they liked that.
Soon their lives were to change forever. They became the parents of a baby boy born in December, a Christmas baby was just what Eleanor and Albert wanted.
Holding their newborn baby boy, there was no doubt in Eleanor’s mind about what the child was to be named, for her family had a long tradition.
“Of all the traditions in my family, this is the one I want to keep”, Eleanor told Albert as the baby slept in the crib in the corner of what was now his room in the small brown house in Owens Farm.
“Well then”, said Albert turning to the sleeping child, “Welcome to the world Benjamin Dover”.
So twelve years ago Benjamin Dover came into the town of
Yes that’s right, Ben Dover.
# # #
The Present
The taunts and jokes that began in third grade for Ben Dover escalated yearly and soon included beating by the likes of Luke Nelson. Most kids in the town of
So it was an attempt to end the daily harassment by Luke Nelson, that now had Ben curled up again on the ground with a new bruise above his left eye.
“Oh God, what am I going to do”, thought Ben.
Luke was screaming, “Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up”, repeatedly, possessed by an anger too great for his simple brain to think of anything else.
Ben considered rising to his feet again, but quickly realized that staying down was now his best and safest option. He curled up a little tighter into a ball looking for any further protection.
Ever so quietly there was a rustling in the alley where Luke was beating Ben. Spinning quickly Luke shouted, “I can hear you. Get out here now or I’ll… I’ll beat you too. I will, you know it”.
Then from the opposite direction a distinct metallic bang caused Luke to hurriedly spin the other way. “Who’s there”, said Luke now with just a little fear and doubt in his voice.
Having been in enough fights over the years, Luke realized that this days bullying was over. “After all what if people came at him from two directions? This might a problem”, he reasoned. Luke did not like the odds of at least two more people confronting him.
Luke turned toward the cowering Ben and pretended to deliver another kick. Ben instinctively cringed, expecting the blow.
“Ha, you coward, I didn’t even touch you”, yelled Luke.
Climbing onto his bike, Luke delivered on final taunt at Ben, “See you tomorrow and don’t forget to bend over, Ben Dover”.
“How uncreative” mumbled Ben under his breath, for he had heard that line from Luke almost daily since sometime in the fourth grade.
Luke was gone, for now. Ben knew who the other person in that alley was, the person who had stopped this assault. He knew that it was his best, well his only friend in Owens Farm.
“Come on out Mary. I know it’s you”.
Mary Moore slowly peeked out from her hiding space behind some boxes. “Ben, is anything broken”? In the past this question had a variety of answers but today, Ben’s body seemed to be in one piece.
“I’m OK Mary, but I’d bet I’m going to have a beauty of a black eye tomorrow. You know you’ve used that old rock trick to save me from Luke several times before. It’s only a matter of time before he’ll catch on”.
Ben knew that it was Mary hiding behind boxes who threw a rock down the alley on the opposite side of Luke who was standing over the beaten Ben. With luck, the stone hit an old steel garbage can and made far more noise than it should have, easily scaring off the dim-minded Luke.
“Luke couldn’t figure out the sun was coming up if he was looking to the East in the morning”, said Mary. “Let’s go to my house. I have some things that will fix those cuts and bruises just fine”.
Mary had done this before for Ben and in some way they were almost like boyfriend and girlfriend. Though neither spoke of this, inside Mary and Ben knew. Off they walked to Mary’s house.
# # #
Mary Moore was more than just a little prettier than most girls in Owens Farm. In the bland background of the citizens of Owens Farm, Mary stood out, not just with her above average height for a girl her age, but with her shoulder length red hair and skin that showed no blemishes that are often present in the teenage years.
Even as a standout for the way she looked, Mary was not popular in school. While she could have easily had a spot on the Owens Farm cheerleading team, Mary preferred to stay in the background, never joining, never volunteering and trying never to get noticed.
She was content to read, study and in general be at peace with the world around her.
Ben Dover was grateful to have a friend like Mary. They had first noticed each other in fourth grade when Ben was getting his daily bullying from other classmates. Mary towering over the boys, in a way that girls sometimes do at that age, had turned a corner on the playground and accidentally surprised the bullies. Even though Mary was as surprised as the bullies, they dropped their attack on Ben and fled into the school recess crowd. Mary helped Ben to his feet and since that day they had become best friends. Perhaps the only friend each of them had.
Turning on
# # #
Mary and Ben came up to the house in complete silence. Mary wished she could help Ben more and Ben, well his wishes did not involve Luke, beatings or anything else bad. His wishes were aimed solely at his friendship with Mary.
Coming up the brick walk, Mary turned to Ben and said, “At this hour of the day nobody’s home, mom and dad are at work so there’ll be no awkward questions to answer about how you look Ben”.
“Mary, from now on call me BD. It will save a lot of trouble”, said Ben as they climbed the porch steps.
“OK BD”, said Mary as she got the first aid kit and tended to his cuts.
________________________________
Chapter 2: "A More Unexciting Place Could Not Be Found
A look at the Town of Owens Farm
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