The Theory of the Truth

Some wise man said, "The truth will set you free." Well, let's test the theory in the story I'm about to share. This is a story that will remind you how long the truth will take to set you free.

John Muir Middle School has never been a good school or a safe school, but it was a school. Some people say it's hard to go to school in South Central Los Angeles, California, and yet these kids did it everyday. Enduring hardships that came with enrollment was an everyday thing: schoolwork, horrible food, very mean staff and worst of all bullies.

Scene 1

Chicken: Hand over your money.

Tiny Tim: I can't pay today. Come on, have a heart.

A big boy walks up. He stands about 5'9" and is easily about 190 pounds. He has muscles like he is on a football team. Beef is his name, an 8^{th grader that bullies everyone; he even bullies bigger people so he seems fair.}

Beef: What's the problem here?

Chicken: Tiny Tim here doesn't want to pay us.

Beef looks over at Tiny Tim with a frown on his face that could melt butter.

Tiny Tim: I can't pay today Beef. I have to have bus fare to get to my grandmother's house.

Then without warning Beef uppercuts Tiny Tim right square in the jaw!

Tiny Tim: Ahhhh. Oh! Ouch! My tooth. My tooth. You knocked it out!

Beef: Now, there is a little something to remind you about not paying the Food Town Group.

Now the Food Town Group made up of the fattest and tallest kids on the playground that have nicknames that stated their favorite food, but seeing that this is the 8th grade there wasn't a lot of them, which is good for the other kids.

Beef: Chicken! Flip him upside down and let's see what falls out.

Chicken: Hey! Hey Beef can I bump his head against the ground? Can I? Can I? Can I?

As Beef walks off.

Beef: It's your life. Have fun.

Beef is a very angry child. He was beat everyday that he can remember, and so beating up on others is all he knows. The others that follow him would rather be on his good side or team up with him after realizing that they could not beat him.

Scene 2

*RINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG*

The next day at John Muir Middle School.

Mr. Simpson: Stop all that damn running. Hey you. Yeah you. You march yourself right over here. Hey! Hey! Don't you flip that at me young man. I'll tan your hide.

Just like every other day the children all run to class.In the code of the school ground, the only people that are late and ditch class are bullies. Being late to class is not something you want to do, being trapped outside with Beef and the Food Town Group.

Mr. Crow: Mr. Simpson you are needed in the main office. Mr. Simpson you are need in the main office.

Mr. Simpson: Damn, What is it now? I might as well go and find out.

As the day went on and all of the children marched off to lunch.

Noodle: (breathing hard) Beef, Beef! It's a new kid here. He was sitting in the main office, and he looks like he could be big profit.

Noodle is a kid about 5'1 and 140 pounds with spiked hair and a habit for spying. Beef thinks his spying will help him out in which it does. Noodle grew up with nothing but girls, so listening in on discussion wasn't new to him. When Noodle enrolled in John Muir, the Food Town Group knew about everything before it happen because of him.

Beef: Noodle you take Chicken and go find out what's up with this kid. I'm going to go take a nap on the bleachers, and wait for Bone.

Chicken: Oh hell yeah! Some action, whoa ray!

Beef slaps chicken on the back of his head.

Chicken: Ouch! You made me bite my tounge.

Beef: Shut up you fool! If any staff hear that we are trying to talk to the new kid, they're going to expect something.

Chicken: Well you could of asked. Ouch! Hey, hey Noodle am I bleeding?

Noodle: Shut up, before I hit ya. Let's go before they sign the kid into a class.

Noodle walks off, pulling Chicken along as he still holds his mouth. Meanwhile, Mr. Simpson is starting to enroll the new kid in his classes.

Mr. Simpson: Okay, what's your name again son?

New kid: My name is Eible.

Mr. Simpson: Oh yes Eible. Well here's a nametag with your name already on it for you.

Eible: Well, oh happy day!

Eible says, with a strong level of sarcasm in his voice. Mr. Simpson clears his voice and leans forward and says.

Mr. Simpson: I'm sure you will love it here. Your homeroom is 301. Get out.

Eible grabs his backpack and walks out. Eible has bounced from school to school because of his attitude and constant fights with students as well as staff members. Eible's mother was the only one he respected, and seeing that she passed a few months back, he has no one to respect in his mind.

As Eible walks out of the office Chicken and Noodle jump in his way.

Eible: Yes. Can I help you two with something?

Noodle: Yeah you can help us. You can help us by coming with us.

Eible: Are you taking me to room 301?

Chicken: Huh? Why the hell would we take you there?

Eible: Hmmm, I see well if you're not going to help me get to my class, then you're wasting my time.

Noodle: Well what about you wasting our time by not doing what I tell you?

At that time, Noodle grabs Eible's shirt with both of his hands and pulls him closer.

Eible: But see I don't care about your time.

Chicken: What!

Eible: I have a promise to keep to my mother so your time is of no value to me.

Then Eible removes Noodle's hands from his shirt and tells them both to have a nice day and then walks off.

Chicken: What the hell is going on with you? Why didn't you smash that guy? .... Well? Why did you just freeze up like that?

Noodle: Shut up! .... Couldn't you see?

Chicken: See what? I didn't see anything. Did he have a shank?

Noodle: There was no...there was no fear in his eyes. None at all.

Chicken: I still say you should have whacked him.

Noodle: You dumb fool. You don't get it, do you? How do we bully someone around if they're not afraid of us? Huh! How?

Chicken humping his shoulders.

Chicken: I don't know can we?

Noodle: No. ...We can't. ...We need to go and tell Beef what happened.

So Chicken and Noodle leave very quickly, so quick they didn't realize that they were being watched by Dell another student that was getting picked on by Beef and the Food Town Group.

Scene 3

Bone: Hey Beef. Beef wake up!

As Beef wakes he takes a big yawn and stretches out his arm and looks up at Bone,

Beef: What!

Bone: I got the money from the three teachers that owed us.

Bone is one of the most powerful of the Food Town Group. He stands at 6' and he weighs 240 pounds. Most people just get out of his way when they see him coming, but his biggest downfall was he wasn't really smart.

Beef: Great. How much did it total up to?

Bone: Well, I don't know.

Beef: What do you mean you don't know? How do you go out to pick up money and you don't know how much they are supposed to give you.

Bone: I don't know.

Beef let's out a big sigh.

Beef: Ok whatever. How much did you collect?

Bone: I have three dollars.

Shocked Beef sits there with his mouth fully open and staring at him.

Beef: Three dollars? You should at least, at very least, came back with thirteen dollars.

In a flash, Beef jumps off the bleachers right onto Bone's foot, and in a blink, chops Bone across the throat. Bone falls to the ground with one hand holding his foot and the other hand holding his throat.

Beef: Who put you on that mission?

Struggling to breath and talking as well, Bone manages to say

Bone: Ch-ick-en.

Right at that time Noodle and Chicken run up.

Chicken: Beef we have to...

And before Chicken can finish his sentence, Beef runs up and punches him square in the stomach. Chicken falls to the ground and passes out cold.

Beef: Bone get over here and grab Chicken and put him on the bleachers before a staff member see him lying there.

Beef: Noodle, report!

Noodle is still feeling uneasy about what happened today.

Noodle: Oh yeah. The kid is very... hmmm different. Maybe you should take him Beef.

Beef: What do you mean different?

Noodle: I'm just saying he looks like he got some skills, and I would hate to mess up one of your money plans. You know by trying to take him on.

Beef: Fine I'll scope this kid out first thing in the morning.

Two hours after that, the after school bell is rung, and all the kids were on their way home.

Mr. Simpson: Damn kids, stop all that running! What! What did you say? You report to my office tomorrow for that young man. Yeah you. Hey! Eible come here for a minute.

Eible: Yeah, what is it?

Mr. Simpson: Look son, I'm not the kind of teacher that sugar coats anything, so I'm going to give it to you straight. I don't like you. I saw what was in your files. hmmm yea, I know that you are a problem child, and we don't need to have any more of your kind in this school.

Eible: Is that all?

Mr. Simpson: Yeah. Go home get out of my school. And one more thing.

Eible: What now?

Mr. Simpson: I'll have my eye on you.

Eible: Seeing how old you are you should have both on me.

With a mad look on his face Mr. Simpson watches Eible walk out of the school. Mr. Simpson is a very strict teacher. He's been working at John Muir for 23 years, and now he's 54

On Eible's way home, he was approached by another student.years old. The school is really taking its toll on him. He's tried to keep the kids in line, but he lost his way a long time ago and has become a corrupt teacher. You know a bad apple.

Eible: Ok, Who are you and what do you want?

Student: Oh my name is Dell!

Dell: Can I walk with you?

Eible: I don't care. It's a free country.

Dell: I saw what happened today, and that was really cool.

Eible: What are you talking about?

Dell: When you stopped the bullies from messing with you. It's no one here that has ever stood up against Beef and the Food Town Group.

Eible: Who and what now?

Dell: The Food Town Group. They're a bunch of bullies that run around beating the crap out of people and taking their money.

Eible: You have to be kidding me.

Dell: Nope I wish. The two you ran into were Noodle and Chicken. They work for Beef the leader of the F.T.G. You were lucky.

Eible: Lucky! Ha, I eat dumb fools like that for light snacks. Luck had nothing to do with it. You kids need to stand up to these punks if you want them to stop.

Dell: I guess you're right.

Eible: I know I'm right, but anyway this is my stop. Later.

Dell: Yeah, see you tomorrow.

Scene 4

That night Dell told his friend Edna what he heard from Eible over the phone while she was playing her new game on her Xbox.

Dell: Yeah, Edna. He said, "I eat dumb fools like that for a light snack."

Edna: Huh? Didn't get all of that. Hey! That's cheating. You can't shoot me in the back while I am picking up health. You know what Dell? I'm going to call you back or talk to you tomorrow. I got to beat my brother at Halo, or I'm going to have to do the dishes.

Dell: Ok. See you at school, cause I'm going to sleep.

Edna: Wow. You suck. Going to sleep at 8:15.

Dell: Just for that I hope you lose.

Edna: You would curse me like that. Some friend you are.

They both laugh and hung up the phones. But later that night, after doing the dishes, Edna calls one of her friends.

Edna: Hello? Is Star there?

Star: What's up Edna? What's the scoop?

Edna: Funny you ask that. I haven't heard anything.

Star: What? Come on. You know something. Stop holding out on me.

Edna: Oh yeah, Dell did tell me something. Ok it's like this, you know there's like this new kid at the school right?

Star: Oh that's who Dell was walking home from school with. But yeah, what about him.

Edna: Well apparently Noodle and Chicken ran up on him today, and he like pushed them off....

Star: Hey! Is that why I seen Chicken knocked out on the bleachers? He did that?

Edna: Yeah, he said, " I eat wimps like you for snacks," and he must have hit Chicken, and they ran off.

Star: Whoa, what about Beef?

Edna: You know I don't know. Dell didn't say anything about Beef. Maybe the new kid will take care of him tomorrow.

Star: Wow, someone taking on Beef. That's insane.

Right then the phone goes beep.

Star: Hey Edna hold on. Someone is on my other line. Hold on a minute.

Star clicks over to her second line.

Caller: Hello? Star?

Star: What's up Jay? Do you know there's a fight going down tomorrow?

Jay: What! Really? Where at?

Star: I don't know. I'll call you back. I'm talking to Edna.

Jay: Ok, bye.

And from that the rumor was started. After Star told Jay, he told his brother, and his brother told his friend who passed it on to his friend's cousin, in which that kid told his father, not knowing that the father is friends with Mr. Crow and of course Mr. Crow told Mr. Simpson.

Scene 5

The next day at school everyone is on edge. Everybody knew there is going to be a fight so everybody keeps their eyes and ears open and ready.

That mourning Beef finally hears the rumor.

Beef: What!

Noodle: Yeah, he said that he was going to wipe the ground with you and eat you.

Beef: This kid is crazy to stand up against me. I'll crush his damn skull.

Chicken: I don't know Beef. He said he was going to eat you. I would stay away from him.

Beef: Shut up! Before I give you five across the eyes. I'm going to go find this little punk. Let's go.

Meanwhile.

Dell: Hey Eible!

Eible: Oh, yeah. Hey!

Dell: I don't know. Maybe because you're new here.

Eible: I guess.

Then with a sharp sound...

Mr. Crow: Eible!

Eible: Yeah, what now?

Mr. Crow: Come with me.

Eible: Two questions! Why and where?

Mr. Crow: Where? my office, and you will find out when we get there, M' kay.

Dell: It's ok Eible. Mr. Crow is one of the good staff members here. I'll catch you later.

Dell walks off in one direction and Mr. Crow and Eible walk off in the opposite direction.

As they reach the office, Mr. Simpson is waiting for them with a police officer.

Mr. Crow: Have a seat Eible. It's has come to my attention that not only did you already beat up a student here, but you also made a threat to another student.

Mr. Simpson: I knew he was a problem child from the start!

Mr. Crow: Is all of this true?

Eible: No. How could it be true? I just enrolled yesterday.

The bell rings for class, and all the kids shuffle off to their classes except the Food Town Group that was now standing outside of the door listening to everything.

Mr. Simpson: All you trouble makers always start quick. You know that whole building up a rep crap.

Mr. Crow: Is that what your trying to do Eible, build up a rep?

Eible: No!

Police officer: Yes, I agree with Mr. Simpson. Young people that have got mixed up in gangs and drugs usually try to build some kind of reputation for the schoolyard.

Eible: That's not true!

Police officer: Hey! Calm down "Little Nelly", or I'll swab both of your eyes with some mace.

Eible: Swab! It's a spray.

Police officer: Hey! Don't get smart with me. I'll pogo this nightstick right off your eyeballs.

Mr. Simpson: It's very visible that this child does not belong in this school Mr. Crow.

Mr. Crow: Well, I'm going to have to think about this.

Eible: Mr. Crow are you seriously thinking about kicking me out! I just signed in yesterday and, on top of everything, I haven't done anything!

Police officer: Yeah get loud. Give me a reason to go ape wild on you. Yeah come on, Yeah.

Mr. Crow was for the most part a good principle, but other people always swayed his opinion. Basically he had no backbone, and unfortunately, he's the head of the school.

Eible: So that's why you called me here.... just me, Mr. Simpson... and dough-fat the doughnut eating crooked cop.

At that time, the police officer almost jumped over the table trying to get to Eible. Mr. Crow and Mr. Simpson had to hold him back.

Police officer: Come on. Let me go. I'm going to hog-tie this little punk and play soccer with him all over a broken glass covered alley.

Mr. Simpson: Just for that you are suspended, when the day is over. Now get out, and go to your class.

Eible: Hey that's cool. Just gives me time to go find a better school, idiots.

As Eible turns the knob of the door, the entire Food Town Group scatter out of sight.

As Eible storms off, Mr. Simpson comes out five minutes later, just to run right into the Food Town Group.

Scene 6

Beef: Mr. Simpson, can I have a word with you?

Mr. Simpson: Okay, be brief I have other things to attend to.

Beef: Okay, look me and you have a common goal.

Mr. Simpson: And what would that be, you two bit punk.

Beef: We Both want that troublemaker out of the school. Yeah I'm bad myself, but look at that kid, he must have a record that outshines mine.

Mr. Simpson: Let's say you have a point. What do you plan on doing?

Beef: Just leave that all to me and the Food Town Group.

Right then Beef turns and walks off with the Food Town Group shortly behind. Once again the Food Town Group failed to observe their surroundings completely, but this time it wouldn't have helped them if they did. Tiny Tim had just gotten back from the dentist and saw the Food Town Group coming. He quickly hid under one of the big yellow trash cans and heard absolutely everything. But would he tell?

Meanwhile Dell catches up with Eible.

Dell: So what happened?

Eible: I won't be here for long.

Dell: Huh? What does that mean?

Eible: They're going to kick me out pretty soon!

Dell: Oh, I get it. You're joking, right?

Eible: I wish I was joking, but it's the truth. They say that I beat up someone, and I threatened someone else!

Right then Dell gets a chill up his spine.

Eible: And really I don't care about getting kicked out of a school, and this isn't the first time it's happened, but it was suppose to be the last. I promised my mother, before she passed that I was going to be a good student and finish school, and that's what I was doing. And then all this came up.

Dell: Don't worry Eible. I'll try to see where the source of this is coming from.

Dell walks off, but as he walks away he can feel something cramping his stomach as he leaves. Dell knows that this is probably all his fault, but he has to find Edna to be sure. As he is walking, he passes Tiny Tim who is sitting on a bench.

Tiny Tim: Dell I have to tell you...

Dell: Not now Tim. I'm busy. I'll talk to you later.

Little does Dell know Tiny Tim was going to tell him what he heard, but Dell was in to big of a hurry to find Edna to even care.

Dell finally finds Edna in the game room next to the boy's gym.

As Dell enters the dark room, he hears sounds of laughter and gaming. He starts talking to Edna.

Dell: Edna! Did you tell anyone about what I told you last night?

Edna: Well one or two. Why?

Dell: Who did you tell?

At this time, everyone is listening to the whispering argument between the two. Suddenly all the laughing and giggling stops.

Edna: Well, I told Star, and Star told Jay.

Dell: Are you serious? You told the biggest gossip in the school something that you should've of kept to yourself.

Eible: You should've of kept it to yourself!

Dell: Eible! I didn't know you were there.

Eible: No one knew I was in here. Right now everyone of you looks real stupid. I heard some kids talking about wanting to get the scoop of the day, so I followed them, and they came right in here.

Dell: Eible, I'm sorry I didn't...

Eible: Just shut up, I don't care about you saying your sorry. All I care about is trying to stay in school. Now if you're really sorry you would help me. This goes for you too.

As Eible points to Edna, who was, at the time, half way out the window.

Edna: Oh, me hehee. Sure I'll help.

Just then over the intercom: Eible! Report to the main office. I repeat, Eible please report to the main office.

Eible: Yep, here it comes. I'm about to be kicked out.

Scene 7

So Eible, Dell and Edna made their way to the main office. Once they got there, their were three police officers, Mr. Crow and Mr. Simpson waiting for him.

Mr. Simpson: Thought we might need some officer's to help you find your way off of school grounds.

Eible: What! This is crazy.

Dell: Calm down Eible. That's what they want you to do.

Right then Tiny Tim walks into the office.

Mr. Simpson: What are you doing here?

Tiny Tim hands Mr. Simpson a letter. Mr. Simpson starts to read it over.

Mr. Simpson: Wow, it says here that you were ten minutes late for your class.

Mr. Crow: What's the problem Timmy? You're never late for class.

Tiny Tim: ...I

Mr. Simpson: Speak up son!

Tiny Tim: I was in the restroom

Mr. Crow: Ah, I see. Ok have a seat.

Mr. Simpson: Now back to you Eible. We have your walking papers right here. Dell, Edna, you two have just earned detention for being late for class.

Dell: So what! This isn't right. He just got here.

Eible: Mr. Crow you said you were going to think about this. Why did you change your mind in one hour?

Mr. Simpson: It's good you asked that question.

Mr. Simpson goes over to his office door, opens it, and looks inside.

Scene 8

Mr. Simpson: You can come out now. It's safe.

Right then Chicken from the Food Town Group comes out.

Mr. Crow: This student said that you pulled a weapon out on him.

Eible: Are you serious?

Dell: That's Bull!

Mr. Simpson: Just for that you get extra detention young man.

Mr. Crow: I'm sorry Eible. I can't allow this to go on. So far I have had my hands full with you, and you enrolled just yesterday. I truly wish there was something I could do.

Eible: You know what? Forget it. I give up. Being bad isn't right. Trying to be good doesn't work. I just don't care anymore.

And with a grin on his face Mr. Simpson gives the order to the officers to take Eible out of the school, but right before the officers can grab Eible, Tiny Tim stands to his feet. Sitting there listening, not saying a word he learned something. He learned to stand up against lies. He learned to have courage, and he felt a social responsibly to speak up against these false accusations.

Tiny Tim: Wait!

Mr. Simpson: Boy, what's your problem?

Tiny Tim: He's lying.

Mr. Crow: Yes, we know he's lying. That's why he's going to be kicked out.

Tiny Tim: No, not Eible. Mr. Simpson!

At that point in time, it looks like Mr. Simpson and Chicken were frozen.

Mr. Crow: What are you talking about Timmy?

Tiny Tim: I heard it all.

Mr. Crow: Heard what? What did you hear?

Tiny Tim: I heard Mr. Simpson talking with Beef and his friends about how to frame Eible and get him kicked out. I was hiding under the yellow trash can outside this office.

Eible: See, I was set up from the start!

Dell: Way to go Timmy, yeah.

Mr. Crow: Wait if this is even close to being true, then tell me why were you under the trash can in the first place. How did you know that they were going to have this chat and in that place?

Tiny Tim: I didn't. I had just got to school because I had a dentist appointment and I seen Beef and the Food Town Group coming, and seeing that Beef is the one that knocked my tooth out in the first place, I thought he was coming to beat me up again.

Tiny Tim: If you need proof Mr. Simpson said that he was going to meet Beef after school by the flag poll to tell him what went down today. I'm sure if you went there Beef and his group would be right there waiting.

At that point, both Mr. Simpson and Chicken are very, very nervous. They were shaking and sweating, and then it happened; Chicken couldn't take it anymore. He cracked.

Scene 9

Chicken: It wasn't us. It was him. All him!

Trying to save himself and the Food Town Group, Chicken jumped behind one of the police officers and told all.

Chicken: I didn't do nothing, it was Simpson. Yeah Simpson and Beef. They master- minded all of this.

Mr. Simpson: You fool. I'll have your head.

Mr. Simpson dashes towards Chicken, but the police officers grab him and pushed him up against the wall and slap some handcuffs on him.

Mr. Crow: I really don't believe this. I have nothing to say. How could I've been so blind.

Chicken: Yeah, shame on you Simpson.

Mr. Crow: Oh, Mr. Simpson will be fired, but you, my son, are getting expelled.

Chicken: What! But I told the truth.

Mr. Crow: Yes you did, but way too late. Go and wait in my office. I will call your parents to come and get you out of my school.

With his head down, Chicken slowly walks off into the connected office.

Mr. Crow turns to the officers.

Mr. Crow: Get that trash out of my face.

The police hauls Mr. Simpson off. Again Mr. Crow turns around back to his student.

Mr. Crow: I can not begin to say how sorry I am to all four of you, but I can start by clearing all four of you from school for the rest of the week. Dell, Edna, you two stood up against injustice and Timmy you stood up in the name of justice, and where I come from that is highly valued. Eible you stayed calm and was just an innocent by stander. I'm truly sorry. Go ahead enjoy your week. I'll take care of all the paper work.

A big sigh of relief come out of Eible as he walk out of the school doors with Dell, Edna and Tiny Tim.

Edna: Oh yeah a nice week. Yeee haaaaa, I'm going to play my Xbox until it catches fire.

Eible: Hey Tim!

Tiny Tim: Yeah.

Eible grabs Tim by his shirt and pulls him closer then off his feet.

Dell: Eible! What are you doing?

Eible: Stay out of this Dell! Why did you take so long? If you had waited any longer, I could have been forced to break my promise.

Edna: Eible! Stop this. He just helped you out.

Eible: But why did he take his time in doing so? Huh why? Tell me!

Tiny Tim: You first have to be trapped sometimes, for the truth to set you free.

And with that said, Eible let go of Tim and fell to his knee and said thank you.

　So there you go, that's my philosophy when it comes down to "the truth will set you free", and what better social responsibility could you come up with than the one to your peers.Eible: What the hell is up with these dumb students here. They all are looking at me like I'm famous.