He was so much bigger, and so much stronger
I was small and scrawny
Light as a feather and of sleight build
And he was quite brawny

For some unknown reason this kid didn't like me
He let me know every chance he got
By punching me in the face and stomach
And often by taking a cheap shot

In the projects he was a known bully
I was his favorite target, I guess
As much as I tried to avoid him
I could not, oh what stress! 

I grew up, got out of the projects
Went to college, then to law school
Practiced law not far from home
I always thought that was so cool

One day in front of my office
A man walked up to me
Asking if I could help him out
And, to my surprise, who did I see?

It was the bully, with a disheveled appearance
He recognized me, saw my name on the front door
I gave him a few dollars, and he walked away
I felt badly for him, not scared as before

It was only two hours, but it felt like forever
I was so scared in that cell, cried my eyes dry
There was only a bed and a toilet
That's the who and the where, and now for the why

I saw the look in my mom's eyes
When she looked at that dress
She really wanted it, that much I knew
But she could not have it...unless

You see, we were a poor family, seven kids
On welfare, food stamps, and all
Living out in the projects
I was just a kid, who liked to play ball

I decided to make my mom happy
So I tucked the dress under my shirt
But I did not get very far
'Cause the store cop was very alert!

He took me by the hand
Around the corner to the local pen
Put me in a cell, with the bed and the toilet
I had stolen before, but never again

Those two hours in that cell changed my life
They caused me to think, to promise myself
That I would do more than play ball
I would instead reach for a book on the shelf