We had just moved into base housing in Honolulu, Hawaii. I was eight years young. My little sister was five. My little sister and I were outside exploring the neighborhood and playing. There were two girls about my age on a bicycle. One was pedaling, the other was on the handlebars. We weren’t bothering anyone. We were smelling the flowers, looking at slugs, finding snails.

They yelled something at my sister, then got off their bike and started picking on her, kicking and pushing her to the ground. The had pushed her hard enough that she was bleeding. She cried in pain. Believe me, my little sister is the sweetest, kindest being ever. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. I saw what was happening and ran by her side to defend her. I told the girls to stop being mean to my sister, or I would stop them. They didn’t care, and came after me, so I did what my father had taught me to do, I fought back. (He always told us, “Never throw the first punch, but if someone punches you first, punch them back hard enough that they’ll never think about doing it again.”)

A small circle of children gathered around us, cheering and watching. Two bullies against me. When they realized I wasn’t kidding, they started to retreat and get back on their bicycle. I yelled at them, and said they would be punished for hurting my sister, and that if they didn’t stop being mean to people, they were cursed. I cursed them. I told them that they would get hurt on their bicycle and their feet would be cut off for kicking my sister! They started pedaling away. They got about 5 feet away from us, when there was an awful scream! One of the mean girls who had kicked my sister, was riding piggy back on the bike; the heel of her foot got caught in the spokes of the bicycle and sliced off all the way to bone – literally. Blood was everywhere! They both looked at me terrified and started wailing through their tears, “Witch! Witch! You’re a witch!!!” The other children looked shocked and frightened, for they had witnessed all that had unfolded. I, too, was shocked! I tried to help them, but they screamed even more.  

Word spread quickly throughout the neighborhood… That was the day I became “Sherrane The Great”, protector of the innocent! No one who hung with me got bullied or messed with, ever again. Not on my watch.

And those bullies, afterwards they apologized and asked for the curse to be removed. They played very nicely afterwards.

To this day, I have to watch my temper and what comes out of my mouth when I am angry, because it happens. My youngest daughter is the exact same way. I had to teach her at a young age to cover her mouth when she is angry enough to hurt someone, for the same reasons.

Harm none, but I have the right to protect myself and those I love.

Many Blessings,

Mamakeeya