At least it wasn't a donkey punch

"There's no way you can give me a bloody nose."

To anyone of any age, that's a challenge you'd be an idiot to pass on. It's a free pass to ram your fist into a willing victim's nose with the ultimate goal to inflict pain on another person. Of course at five years old the ramifications of this don't really register.

That tale and more are just part of the random and confusing memories of my childhood.

I chalk it up being easily influenced by friends and the bloody nose was no different. The victim in this story was the older brother (yep, older) of my best friend at the time. I don't really recall how we found ourselves in this conversation that could lead nowhere good but it started with the older brother uttering that sentence doubting my strength (and aim).

So I started punching him. Being five years old I am fairly certain that these were not Mike Tyson-like blows but after a few minutes (and probably a rather sore fist) there was blood pouring down this kid's face. Chalk it up to his stupidity (who challenges anyone like that?) and my eagerness to prove myself but the end result as the bus pulled up to the elementary school on Austin's west side was one bloody seven year old and a five year old confused about why he was in trouble. At least the older brother (who was the instigator here) didn't throw me under the proverbial bus on this one.

I know that we both ended up spending the before-school recess sitting in the principal's office for a week and that my parents were "very disappointed" in me. Thus began a couple trends for me. That time spent in the principal's office wasn't the last.

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