Elizabeth Menzie

Heavy Heart Elizabeth Menzie

After my overtime was done I clocked out and went to my locker. I changed out of my work coat and disposed of my hair net. As I left the ladies locker room there was a group of men outside in the lobby of the employee entrance. At the centre of it were my two least favorite co-workers; Brock Hansen and Zack Trulley. They had been in school with me from elementary all the way through grade twelve. We had been in the same class. My entire life, they had made fun of me because I was a bigger girl. Since we were all adults, you would think that childish behavior would be behind us; it wasn't. Brock and Zack both continued to call me the various pet names they had for me like 'the walrus' or 'the blob'. When I was a teenager it used to send me to the bathroom in tears, it would send me over the edge and cause me to want to hurt myself. Since I was older, I didn't let it get to me as much as I used to. I decided I wasn't going to let it tear me down, I was better then they were. I wasn't going to allow bullies to hurt me. As I passed by the group of men, Brock shouted at me, "Hey Walrus, where are you going? Back to the sea?" I rolled my eyes and ignored him. I found that not responding was the best way to deal with them. If I acknowledged their behaviour it only encouraged it. I just kept walking with my head held up high. I didn't care what they thought of me. I was a bigger girl and I wasn't going to allow their words to tear me down.