The "good old days" or a 9 year old boy showing up in school wearing a girls' dress...

In "the good old days" if you were a boy and showed up to school wearing a girls' dress you would get your ass kicked and then they would send you home to your mother with a note to wear appropriate clothing. Back in the day if you acted effeminate or wore a pink shirt you would get your ass kicked. If you had funny ears or a body part that kids thought strange or goofy you would get your ass kicked. If you wore shoes kids thought were strange kids would kick your ass. If you were from a poor family kids would kick your ass and if you were from a rich family kids would kick your ass. If you had a name or last name kids thought weird you had an ass kicking coming and not always from boys as there were some girls who could also kick ass individually and in groups. If you said or did something stupid you could get an ass kicking and if you were exceedingly intelligent an ass kicking could come your way just as you could get an ass kicking from your race or religion. If you told a teacher or the Principal someone kicked your ass, rumor had it you had another ass kicking coming. If you were fat, skinny, weak or even strong you were probably due an ass kicking. You had to beware of older kids as they were known to prey on younger kids and kick their ass. I walked to school almost every day through an apartment complex to an open Middle School field. Across to a bridge that had an opening in the middle. And then through a residential area and to a sidewalk path that brought you across the street and into the school yard. At any point in this journey or the trek back you could get your ass kicked every day. There was no e-mail so kids either told you were getting your ass kicked after school or followed you home to kick your ass. There was usually some blood involved in an ass kicking and no cyber. And if you were afraid of getting your ass kicked, you got your ass kicked especially if you were a boy and wore a girls' dress to school.