Title: ran into my high school bully at work
Body:
When I was in college, I worked as a lifeguard at a neighborhood pool. It was really chill and quiet, mostly telling kids not to run and enforcing basic rules, like no diving and residents only bringing 2 guests each. Then one day a guy who was SO mean to me in middle school came with like 15 of his friends. And I knew only one of them lived in the neighborhood. They were being really loud and running around and getting in the way of lap swimmers and kids. I was so nervous because I was wearing the bikini uniform and felt like it'd be obvious I was self-conscious if I put on a shirt. But the other guard on duty was on the stand, so I knew I had to be the one to talk to them.
I went up and asked them who lived in the neighborhood. 533
Only one of the guys sheepishly raised his hand. I told them about the 2 person rule and said they'd need to leave. They asked if I could make an exception for them "since we know each other". As if! That guy called dumb and ugly like every single day of middle school. I said no and that I'd have to call the HOA (notoriously intense and always around) if they didn't leave. I was so nervous they'd just stay and I'd have to try again and call the HOA for real. But the guy who used to bully me called me a bitch as I walked away and that's when I knew: I'd won. 533