The Life of Adrian Coupe

Adrian Coupe started school energetically, enthusiastically and very excited at the age of four. He took with him his prized Amigo Man action figure for his first day at school, and looked forward to getting to know all of the other boys and girls who were also at the school.

The door to the classroom closed behind him, and he noticed the room was full, with an adult leaning over some kind of tank in the corner. He presumed she was the teacher.

Zak Edwards walked towards Adrian, who smiled. Zak gave Adrian a chewed pencil and snatched the Amigo Man out of his other hand, before returning to the group he was with a second earlier. No words were spoken and he didn’t return the smile.

Adrian walked after Zak, as he wanted his action figure back, but Zak turned around and pushed Adrian down to the floor. Then he smiled. Then he laughed… as did all of the other boys in the group.

“Now, don’t do that, Zak.” the teacher, Miss Hillary, said sternly.

“But he was trying to take my action figure, Miss.” Zak lied.

“Even so, you do not knock people to the ground. And you,” she helped Adrian up, “must not try to take other people’s property. That’s stealing. You ask if you can borrow it first.”

Adrian’s eyes filled with tears, more so with anger and frustration than anything else, but with everyone in the room looking at him he didn’t say anything. Zak returned to his group who started laughing again.

The school bell rang and and all of the children ran to find their perfect seat. Adrian was a little late as he wasn’t sure what the bell meant, but soon realised that he needed to sit down as well. There was one seat left, and he soon realised why. It was next to Elizabeth Groak, the grubby-looking girl with the thick spectacles. Adrian took the seat anyway, and it wasn’t long before he noticed another group, girls this time, sniggering and looking at him from the corner at the front.

The bell sounded the end of the first lesson; the teacher had asked everyone to draw a picture of something wild, and Adrian had drawn a lion. Elizabeth had opted for a flower. As it was now playtime, the children started to stand and leave the room, when Elizabeth screamed. Her pony tail had been tied into a tight knot to the back of her chair and she couldn’t get up.

Adrian stayed to see if he could help when Miss Hillary came over. “You, young man, will stay where you are… there’s no playtime for you.” She was trying to free Elizabeth’s hair, which was so tangled it was impossible. “And Elizabeth, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to cut off your pony tail” Elizabeth was so upset she couldn’t speak. Once she could, she ran out of the room holding the back of her head.

“Now, Adrian. It looks like you’re a trouble-maker, and I don’t like trouble-makers.” Miss Hillary was very stern. She was old, about twenty-nine Adrian thought. “Maude Briggs told me that you had tied the knot in Elizabeth’s hair, which isn’t a nice thing to do. You saw how upset she was. What have you to say for yourself?”

Adrian was now feeling upset himself again. He realised that Maude Briggs must have been one of the group of girls in the corner, although he didn’t know which one. He looked at the teacher.

“It… it wasn’t…” before he could finish, another teacher popped his head around the door. “They’re waiting in the staff room… it’s an urgent meeting.” He said.

“We’ll deal with this later.” Miss Hillary said. “For now, go outside and have a good long think about what you’ve done.”

Adrian started to think that he didn’t like school much.

***

The bullying continued throughout school. If it wasn’t Zak Edwards and his group it was Maude Briggs and hers.

Adrian tried to avoid them all as much as he could, as over the years they’d done some pretty awful things to him. Maude nicknamed him Amigo Man… Zak had stabbed Adrian’s hand with a sharpened pencil which spilt blood over his schoolbook… Maude had started a rumour that Adrian and Elizabeth were boyfriend and girlfriend…  Zak locked Adrian into the teacher’s storeroom, making him very late for a lesson… Maude sniggered behind her hands whenever Adrian had to speak in front of the group… Zak punched, kneed and kicked Adrian whenever he could during their sports lessons… Maude started mocking Adrian’s body as it started to develop as he grew through the senior school years… Zak… Maude… Zak… Maude…

Adrian couldn’t wait to leave school and have done with it all. He’d mentioned it to teachers over the years, his friends had witnessed what was going on and backed him up when needed, but it continued regardless.

Luckily, Adrian never let what was happening affect his learning, as that was what he wanted to do from day one. He passed all of his exams, and when the time came for him to finally leave school he did so with an air of relief. He was proud of what he’d done, and didn’t really have any thoughts to Zak, Maude or the others who had received considerably lower grades.  

He got a job where he could help people to Feel Good about themselves, and have the strength within them to press on and aim for better and greater things not only for themselves, but for others too. He cared about his world and the impact that his actions had upon it. Through doing good, he saw a lot of good. And people saw a lot of good in him.

When Adrian was 60, he decided it was time for him to retire as the company he worked for had an early retirement scheme. His fellow staff members, or the team as he called them, all came in on his last day, bearing gifts, cards and a few tears.

Adrian really enjoyed his retirement. He still helped people wherever he could, and loved going for walks everyday with his wife. When he was 95 he awoke one morning and his wife, Elizabeth, was beside him as usual. Although, this morning she wasn’t asleep.

***

Elizabeth’s funeral was attended by many people. Adrian was supported by his four children, nine grand-children, and fourteen great-grand-children; his former work colleagues; and many of the people who he and Elizabeth had helped over the years.

The service was beautiful. Peaceful. Just as Elizabeth had asked for.

Adrian smiled as he looked at all of the people who had gathered together that day. At the back of the group, he noticed a face that took him back.

Zak Edwards.

After the service, Zak approached Adrian and offered him his hand. Adrian accepted it and smiled. It took a short while for Zak to speak.

“I thought you’d resent me being here.” he said eventually.

“Not at all,” Adrian said. “Thank you. If you hadn’t given me that push on my first day in school, I wouldn’t have had the life I’ve had. Not that I’m boasting… just saying.”

Zak had a look of regret on his face, but said no more.

***

What goes around comes around… although sometimes not exactly straight away.