It was about the beginning of June when Ken Kowalski arrived from Lowell. I had met Ken about three years before when I was at Hampton Beach one Sunday. Ken was just walking around, alone, not doing much of anything. He decided to play a game at about the same time I did. He was not used to it and I had pretty well mastered the thing so I began to give him so advice. Then we just got talking.

Ken was a very imposing guy. He was Sixteen at that time. He was 6’ tall and weighed about 180 pounds. It was all solid muscle. I think that if he wanted, he could have entered most teen age body builders events and won hands down. His skin was probably the envy of every girl, smooth, hairless, flawless and tight on his underlying muscle. Ken had only one problem.

His face.

He had long blond, straight shoulder length hair. Similar to Ray, in fact. His eyes were blue and set somewhat closer together than should have been. His mouth was narrow over a somewhat sharply pointed chin. Altogether, considering his incredible size, he looked mean – at least menacing. People did not approach Ken. They stared at him coming and talked after he had passed, but they got out of his way.

When Ken was young, he was somewhat slender. He has generally picked on by school bullies. Just about when he began to “Grow Up’ he decided he had enough and began to lift weights. That he was Polish and had that typical heavy skeletal structure did not hurt at all. He went at it with dedication and soon, those who had picked on him found themselves confronted with a whole new man who was definitely not to be trifled with. If any of them gave him trouble all he had to do was grab their arm or shoulder, and under the inexorable pressure of Ken’s iron grip soon found themselves on their knees. He claims he never struck anyone in anger. In fact he was a real pussy-cat for all his size and strength.

From being the weakling, Ken became the defender of the weak and the bullies soon learned not to bother any of the smaller guys in school. Kenny didn’t fight. He just grabbed them and applied pressure, put them firmly on the ground and with a very few words, let them know that next time it would be different. Generally, they took the hint.

Unfortunately, in the quest for superiority, Ken over did it. As good as he looked when all flexed out, normally, he was too big. But that was OK. It served us well on more than one occasion.