don't mess with me...
I was reading Isaiah in the bath this morning (I know I meant to be checking out something particular but forgot all about what that was - I can't hold ideas in my head very long these days). anyway, towards the end of my reading ( I started somewhere around Chapter 42) I got to chapter 49 and I read "I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save". I wasn't tkaing it out of context - I was very interested in all that went before (and after) too. However, this sparked a memory of childhood. When I was 13 I moved schools - I joined the co-ed comprehensive school where my brothers were after 2 years in a girls school (where 50% of the school population were afro-carribean or asian - some of them couldn't even speak English). I was put in a low-intelligence class to start with (because of where I had moved from) and found myself alongside a rotund female (Bullen, I think the surname was) who took exception to me. Can't say I much cared for her but I was aware of the error of getting 'on the wrong side' of her. She generally filled me with dread but specifically filled me (to overflowing) with terror when she announced that she was going to waylay me on the way home from school on a particular day (she gave me notice, I suppose, so that I could stew in the anticipation). Oddly enough this female quite doted on my older brother (not that I supposed it odd that anyone should dote on him you understand - only that it should be her...). Anyway, before the day appointed this female discovered that my brother was MY BROTHER and her attitude towards me was, to say the least, transformed. I didn't relish the thought of cultivating her friendship and as far as I remember I moved to a different class shortly after so was mercifully spared her company. Anyway verse 25 of Chapter 49 reminded me that I have better than my brother on my side to defend me and greater perils than brief encounters with beefy-looking mean 13-y-old girls. It is a consolation to me.