I was the city kid and new to this small country town. It wasn't my choice to move here, obviously it was my parents' choice.

My parents were recently married, and it was nice to have a dad. My mom and I lived in a bad area of Boston, but really had no idea about that. I was in the third grade at the time. I never knew my biological father, as he left after I was born. I knew who he was, but never talked to him, or better said, he never talked to me.

My new dad, was a man's man. He liked to hunt, fish and play ball. He had been in the Merchant Marines and had a very short fuse. I learned that one day when we were playing in the house and I made the mistake of putting a clothespin into his back...I guess it reminded him of something in the service. I never knew what hit me, but he apologized and said to never do that again...I never did.

Being the new kid in town and from the city, I guess I had a target on my back. It wasn't long before the 'twins' decided to show me who to respect. They were voicing off to me on the school bus, and when we got off, they tripped me and started throwing punches. Needless to say, they beat me up.

When my parents got home from work, my mom was first to ask what happened to my face. I told her what happened and she got very upset. Later, my dad approached me to hear the details of what happened. I told him about the fight (?) with the twins, and thought he was going to do something to help with the situation. I guess he did, but not what I had expected.

Bottom line, he told me if I didn't beat both of them up the next day, I was going to be very sorry when he got home from work. I remember crying into my pillow that night and then beating it up so bad, the feathers came out of it.

When I got on the bus the next morning, I made eye contact with them, and they just looked at each other and smiled at me. I became so mad, I was shaking. I had a whole day in school to think about what they did to me, and how my new dad had deserted me. I don't think I paid any attention that day and didn't talk to anyone at recess. I knew the more I thought about the bus ride home, the more my heart started racing.

It had been lightly snowing when the bus left the school driveway, and everything you could see had a white blanket covering it. The contrast was the twins had matching black jackets and matching smiles. I think they were planning to jump me again when we got off the bus. I wasn't smiling at them, and don't exactly remember what my expression was, but I was not looking away. I was confused about how my dad reacted, and thought I now had them and him as enemies.

Last night, beating up my pillow, I had taken care of my dad...the fear of what he would do to me if I didn't stick up for myself made me angry and not afraid of the twins any longer. I had red hair and realized for the first time the temper that goes along with it.

We got off the bus, which was the last stop. There were about ten of us, including me and the twins. It was cold and the ground in the area was a smooth covering of white powder. I could almost feel the contrast of the heat from the twins behind me. I turned and looked up at both of them, seeing their smirks -- "WHAT?"

One of them immediately pushed me, causing me to slip on the snow-covered road. Images of my conversation with my dad flashed in front of me, and the two black-coat-smiling monsters just lit my fuse. I try to this day to remember the sequence of events, and who did what to whom, but all I remember is leaving that corner, with both of them down and not attempting to get up.

When my parents got home, I think my dad expected what I would look like, but my mom did not. He hugged me and said he was proud of me, and I think I knew his purpose better at that moment.

The good news is that the twins became better friends and nobody ever saw them pick on anybody again.