Once upon a time there was a big bouncing boy named Jack.

Jack was the brunt of many jokes because he was BIG. His belly was so round that you couldn’t hardly see his head or arms or legs. He received scowls and scorns from grownups and kids alike. No one, really, was his friend.

His parents did not make matters any better – he was dressed in striped jerseys that made him look exactly like a big ball. His schoolmates never did miss a day to heckle Jack and hold him up to ridicule. He was laughed at, he was teased, he was called names and worst of all, he was called the name his Mom had always used lovingly “bouncing boy” – although the kids turned that into torment “Oh, look at Momma’s Biiiig Bouncing Boy” with a snicker and laugh that made life miserable for Jack.

Jack did start out as a Big Bouncing Baby Boy – maybe because his Mom had said from the moment she knew she was expecting the stork, “I’m having a big bouncing boy”. No matter what the reason, Jack was biiiiig. He was a BIG baby, a BIG toddler, a BIG boy and now, almost a teenager, Jack was really and truly BIG.

During Jack’s early days of school, when he thought the kids were being his friends, he would play act as a slob while eating his food and say big giant things such as “Me want MORE”. He thought that the kids were laughing with him but soon found out that it was laughter at him. “EEEE U”, the kids would say, “Did you see how gross that fat kid is when he eats?” Only to be corrected by the older kids – “His name is Big Bouncing Fat Boy. You can see why.” “He looks just like a Bouncing Ball, striped and all.” “Are you sure IT’s a boy, not a beach ball?” On and on the teasing would go...