Egghead in Japan

When I wrote Egghead I thought that even if the story made one child feel less alone it would be worth writing. I had no idea that the story would strike a chord with so many young people. I had no idea that the story would take me all over the world. I entertained the idea that I could take the story with me to schools where I could talk about bullying. But I was wrong. I didn't take the story. The story took me.

Even ten years later, people still want me to talk about Egghead.

It is my own story, the story of a little boy who was bullied at school and had an imaginary friend who helped him to survive the experience. I was that little boy and in order to tell his story I had to slip inside his skin again and relive some of those moments.

It was a story, a true story, told from the heart. No frills, no twists and turns. Just a young boy with his head down telling the reader how it feels to not fit in, to feel like a failure, a loser, a disappointment. Thanks to this story I managed to transform the whole experience into something positive. Now I have this wonderful opportunity to tell young people things that I believe are important to know. And because of the story, they listen.

I can always tell who is a victim of bullying when I go inside a class or assembly hall. At the end of the session, they wait to speak to me and they always ask the same question: 'Michael, are you happy now?'. They ask this question because they cannot possibly imagine a future where they can be happy. Thanks to this little story I am able to look them squarely in the eye and say, 'Yes, I am happy now.'

I remember very this journey to Nagoya in Japan very fondly. The event was called, sharing stories, and many of the people I met, educators, students and friends alike shared their stories with me. It always amazes me how stories build bridges across generations and cultures.