My first fight

On California street we were the last block before the railroad tracks.  Railroad tracks we crossed every morning to cut across to get to Maple School faster or otherwise we had to go around through San Joaquin then B street to Maple.  The tracks were faster, especially when your being chased.  The last house on the block across from us before the tracks were a family of girls.  Tall, muscular, black girls who were very athletic and intimidating.  We would try to run as fast as we could to pass them.  If caught they would grab us and take our lunch money.  Scary.  Then after school we would run home.  We told momma and daddy; first they tried to talk to their parents, and of course they would talk to their daughters.  Well that lasted a couple of days.  Again momma talk to their mom, momma didn't want her girls fighting because girls don't fight.  Well after many days of crying and pleading daddy about had it.  This was the drill as we were told by daddy, "you run as fast as you can, grab some rocks and hit them, then they'll leave you alone."  Momma still persisted, "no fighting," but daddy insisted, "you want to be left alone this is what you need to do."  We wanted to be left alone.  It worked.  They cried, we stared dumbfounded, then we walked to school together.