Chapter 1

I’m out of control…or should I say – out of my control. Before today, I had always been in complete control of my situation. I had utter control of my parents by the age of three. I had them wrapped around my little finger.

My parents divorced when I was seven – that’s when I really began to get whatever I desired. They were guilty for breaking up the family, especially my mother, who had double the guilt because she pulled out me out of the school and neighborhood I had know since I was born and thrust me into a new situation. So, she appeased her conscience by stuffing me with sweets…overloading my poor puny belly with extra helpings of stew, macaroni and cheese, and meatballs and spaghetti. My belly ached every time I left the table, swollen into a large sphere…too stuffed to go out and play. I retreated to my bedroom to lie flat on my bed, rubbing my tortured middle as I watched TV.

My father was no better. Although he complained that I was transforming into a “little tub”, he wouldn’t be outdone by my mother. “It’s the park for you, my boy – get some exercise. You’re getting fat,” he’d say to me. “Bill, you need to run around to get the fat off of you.”

But, the candy shop was on the way to the park and I’d be allowed to fill my pockets with Oh, Henry bars, Bit-o-Honeys, Bazooka gum, and jelly beans. We’d walk in the park for awhile and then back to the candy shop for a banana split, egg cream, or malted.

Between the gorging at every meal and candy runs every weekend, I got FAT…FAT…FATTER…”Hey Tubby!” the neighborhood kids began to shout at me. And, then there was…Porky…Fatty…and the best - Lard Butt. Larry, the class clown would jump up behind me, grab my distended gut and jiggle my fat violently yelling, “And Bill is getting LARGER!” And he was right. I was. I got bigger and bigger and bigger. As I got larger, I got greedier. I manipulated my parents and friends and got fed more food. “Pork Butt” became “Round Boy” and then “Balloon Belly Boy”.

This went on for some time until one day I sat on the class bully in the school yard – grounding him into the courtyard. I was left alone after that.

This went on for some time until one day I sat on the class bully in the school yard – grounding him into the courtyard. I was left alone after that.

Don’t get me wrong. I had plenty of friends. I became really popular…especially when I could get practically anything I wanted from my parents. So, I was usually the first to get the new toy, Atari game system, cable TV, etc… I had many friends…well not real friends, but close enough for the time being