Big Dick Menefee and the Tiny Teacher

In middle school (what we used to call in the '70s Junior High) there was a big, tall, blond, handsome, bully named Dick Menefee. I knew him from elementary school, where his reputation as a ner-do-well mean kid proceeded him, but he was not in any of my classes. He was a scary presence and my sense was that low grades or not, the elementary teachers were intent on getting him out of their school. He showed up in my Home Room in 9th grade.

Dick was just a ball of mean. I never saw him without a scowl. I never saw him not looking like he was looking to beat somebody up. He arrived when he felt like it, sat where he wanted, said what he wanted or said nothing at all. It was much discussed that his own father beat him and agreed that prison would be his stop after school. I think he may have felt that way because he certainly made no attempt to learn anything---never read assignments, "F" was his grade of choice, and if he could bother the class in a mean way he would. I felt sorry for him. What horrible things must have been done to him? I just stayed away from him.

This story of Dick, I have been thinking about for some time now, but I couldn't remember one person's name. I thought if I let my brain work on it in its unconscious sleep state, maybe it would grab it, alas, unless it throws it out during this writing, I'll make up a name. That will be sad, because she deserves her due.

One day Dick was screwing around at the back of the class. He was about six feet tall by now, our teacher was about five feet tall...on her tip toes. She was a gray-haired, stick-to-the-rules teacher, for some reason I think her actual class was Latin, but in Home Room (the first check-in class of the day) you got whoever was available. She called out Dick's name, but he didn't answer.

There were snickers from his boys, but the rest of us dared not make a sound. Again she called, again he refused to answer and made a nasty remark aimed at her. Then it happened---the unthinkable.

Miss Hillman put a scowl on HER face and called him up to the front of the class. Well, of course he just laughed and didn't budge.

She stood, all almost four feet and 90lbs. of her, next to her desk and looked right at him. "Come here!" she said, pointing to the floor next to her.

Dick shuffled his large body around, still seated at a desk, his long legs hanging into the isle. "No," he said as cool as snow. The tension in the room was thicker than molasses, and it ran over each of us, putting us all in a mess.

"COME HERE!" (Miss Hilman! Give it up! Save us all!) She crossed her arms. Silence.

There was an audible gasp as Dick rose and slowly moved to the front of the room, where he locked eyes with Miss Hickman and stood next to her.

It was a site I will never forget. Well muscled, tall, Mr. Mean vs. tiny Miss Old Lady, and she wasn't backing down, even though she had to crane her neck to look up and meet his eyes.
"Mr. Menefee, you are expected IN YOUR CHAIR by 8AM. Do you understand?"

I was certain he was going to hit her. I had heard he had struck teachers before, spent time in Juvy Hall even, had a gun, knives...."DO YOU UN DER STAND, MR. MEN E FEE?" she said, but was trembling just a bit.

The sweat was dripping off me when finally he spoke. "Yes."

Still locked in a stare she said, "Now take your seat and don't forget."

The bell, thankfully rang, and we all left the room, off to repeat to our schoolmates what had just happened. The next morning at 8AM, Dick was in his seat. Something shifted in that standoff the day before. For one thing my respect for Miss Hillman grew tenfold, and my respect for Dick Menefee was just beginning. He was like a changed young man. Had no one ever stood up to him before? Was he also impressed by little old lady Miss Hillman's courage? I'll never know for sure, but something happened beyond that moment.

Dick Menefee got noticed by the football coach. He started playing football---very well! That led to his handsome good looks being noticed by the pretty cheerleaders, and then by one of the brightest, shyest, SWEETEST girl in school. They started dating and Dick started smiling. His grades went up and he became one of the nicest guys you would ever want to know. He became popular.

I don't know how his story ended or continued, but I know when a tiny old teacher stood up to him and refused to accept that he was not worth the attempt to talk to. Could she imagine all that she taught us that day? I know it made ME feel more powerful, brave, and most importantly it showed that Dick Menefee was a human being, not a monster.

Maybe it showed him that too.