thanks for that explanation, which makes pretty clear what the phrase means.
Twinsenboy, if you really are still quite young, then you probably remember that adolescents tend to be cruel to anyone just a tad less developed then they are at any given instant. Except for some who are overly tender to those less developed ones, but that's another matter entirely...
So it's entirely usual in any group of 12-14 year olds that the more developed ones hack on the late bloomers. Been there, seen that. Even took part in it, on both sides... Now if the least developed boy in a group happens to have a second life as a choirboy, that's doubly dangerous! Such boys learn to develop a thick skin, and often also learn to fight back. Yudo is a great method. A bit too good sometimes. One day, corralled into a corner by one of the worst bullies at school, I used my freshly acquired knowledge of that art. It made "crack" when I twisted his hand back as the teacher had told me. The bully's face went white, and I could escape. Next day he didn't come to school. The day after he showed up, with his hand and arm in plaster. WOW! I felt powerful! That guy was two years older than I, and weighed at least twice as much. I was very careful with Yudo from then on. The only time when I had to use it again was a good 15 years later, when a baddie thought that he needed my wallet more dearly than I did. "Crack", again, and the wallet remained mine.
Often one of the worst bullies will suddenly develop a protective attitude toward the least developed boys, and defend them from the other bullies. That happened to me too, and was almost embarrassing, but very convenient too.
It's interesting to watch all these behaviors. Psychologists have explanations for each one. It's all normal...
And yes, I agree, it's probably to late for Steve!
Like for so many of us
Sniff helium, that works, at least for a while!