![\"antboy1_tissemyrens_bid_l\"](\"https:\/\/www.kennethboeghandersen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/antboy1_tissemyrens_bid_l.jpg\" "\\"antboy1_tissemyrens_bid_l\\"")
<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Chapter 6<\/p>\n
Supercool!<\/p>\n
The Hammer\u2019s real name was Gunnar Lund Hammer. He had a huge beard and was big as an ox. His chest was so broad that it looked like he\u2019d swallowed a wine barrel. The Hammer was the school\u2019s Gym teacher. That\u2019s Gym teacher with a capital G. But The Hammer\u2019s favorite sport wasn\u2019t soccer, wrestling, or athletics. It was making-a-fool-of-Pelle-in-front-of-the-rest-of-the-class, and he was very good at it. The Hammer had never liked me, because I represented everything he despised: I was chubby, I hated sports, and I was extremely bad at them<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t catch a ball to save my life, I couldn\u2019t swim ten yards without almost drowning, and the only thing I could hit with a tennis racket was my own knees.<\/p>\n
I once joined a karate club, and that was certainly no success. None of the other kids wanted to practice with me, because they couldn\u2019t lift me. I don\u2019t even think I earned a white belt before I quit.<\/p>\n
But back to The Hammer and his habit of humiliating me in front of the others. This Wednesday afternoon was no exception.<\/p>\n
\u201cNerhmann, get over here and give us a little demonstration.\u201d That\u2019s what he always said when he wanted to show how something shouldn\u2019t be done. The other boys started to giggle. I hated myself for this morning\u2019s optimism. How could I\u2019ve thought that this day would be any different? Why hadn\u2019t I accepted Mom\u2019s offer to let me skip gym when I had the chance?<\/p>\n
I got up and stood inside the hula hoop on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it big enough for you?\u201d The Hammer asked, and the boys\u2019 giggles turned to laughter. He stepped into the other hula hoop and looked at me. He was smiling. Combat games was on today\u2019s program, and The Hammer had just explained the rules of the first game. You fought one on one. The person who managed to push his opponent out of the hula hoop was the winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you understand the rules?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Nerhmann understands the rules, then everybody understands the rules, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight!\u201d the boys yelled. This was also normal procedure.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood! Get ready.\u201d I set my palms against his and braced myself. Braced myself to get flung out of the ring with the speed of light. \u201c1,2,3 fight!\u201d<\/p>\n
He put his back into it, I could feel it. Yet the pressure against my palms wasn\u2019t much stronger than a gentle breeze, and I had no trouble staying put. The Hammer stared at me and I could see the surprised What the\u2026?-look in his eyes.<\/p>\n
Behind me, the boys laughed even harder as they clapped, whistled, and cheered for The Hammer. They thought he was joking, that he was only pretending he was having trouble pushing me out of the hula hoop.<\/p>\n
He pushed harder, and the breeze turned into a small storm. It didn\u2019t matter. I felt as if I was made of stone and didn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on!\u201d he snorted through clenched teeth. Sweat ran down his forehead as he snarled to himself: \u201cCome on, push! Push! What\u2019s the matter with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
The cheering and laughter around us had suddenly abated, and I sensed the boys looking at each other. They were beginning to realize that The Hammer wasn\u2019t joking, that he actually couldn\u2019t push me out of the ring.<\/p>\n
Through the mumbling voices around us, I suddenly heard someone whisper: \u201cCome on, Pelle! You can do it!\u201d<\/p>\n
The Hammer\u2019s face was so red now that it looked as if he was going to explode. His eyes were bulging out of their sockets, and a big, fat vein throbbed in his forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, damn it!\u201d The Hammer roared, giving everything he had. \u201cPush! PUSH!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201dOkay,\u201d I answered and pushed.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t even push very hard. One moment The Hammer was standing in front of me, his entire face twisted up with exhaustion, the next he was rolling across the floor. He didn\u2019t stop until he crashed into the wall ten yards away.<\/p>\n
The gym went quiet. All the boys were staring at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d The Hammer mumbled, his eyes doing somersaults in his head. He had to cling to the wall to stand. He looked like he\u2019d been plunked by a potted plant dropped from the 5th floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cPelle won,\u201d somebody said softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cRematch?\u201d I asked, unable to help myself from smiling when The Hammer glared at me in shock.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d For a moment The Hammer just stared at me, paralyzed. Then a roaring fire of pure rage lit up his eyes, and he practically jumped back into the hula hoop, putting his palms against mine. \u201cI\u2019m gonna show you, you little \u2026\u201d he snarled. \u201c1, 2, 3 fight!\u201d<\/p>\n
We fought. For about two seconds. Then I took half a step sideways as I made a quick sweeping motion with my arms. The Hammer, who\u2019d used all his weight trying to push me out of the ring, flew past me, screaming.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook out!\u201d the boys cried as 220 pounds of gym teacher came barrelling toward them. They leaped out of the way and, once again, The Hammer\u2019s little journey ended against the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cRematch?\u201d I repeated when he turned his baffled eyes towards me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou moved!\u201d he hissed, pointing an angry, trembling finger at me. He stomped towards me, towering above me like a mountain. But it felt like I was the one looking down at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you, Nerdmann!\u201d he bellowed. \u201cWhat were you thinking, cheating like that! You said you understood the rules! You must be dumber than a brain-dead chicken!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said we were allowed to mov\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t lie to me!\u201d he roared. \u201cIs this the thanks I get for letting you win the first round?\u201d He pointed at the locker room. \u201cGet out, you little cheat! Get out of my gym right now!\u201d<\/p>\n
I shrugged and began to go. Then I turned and said: \u201cBetter luck next time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOUUUUT!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Antboy 1 THE BITE OF THE ANT Excerpt Chapter 6 Supercool! The Hammer\u2019s real name was Gunnar Lund Hammer. He had a huge beard and was big as an ox. His chest was so broad that it looked like he\u2019d swallowed a wine barrel. The Hammer was the school\u2019s Gym teacher. That\u2019s Gym teacher with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2600","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n