When Michelle Icard heard three teenagers girls making fun of one their classmates, she couldn’t stand by and do nothing.
According to Today, Icard was sitting at a local Starbucks next to a group of three very boisterous girls. This group of teenagers was talking and laughing, and Michelle didn’t think much of it until she heard what they were laughing about.
They were making fun of Catherine, a girl who sang about being lonely at their talent show.
“She is so weird!One girl relayed how they ousted Catherine’s wish to be lead singer: “[Catherine] wanted to be lead singer, but we took a vote and everyone wanted me instead, so sorry Catherine — you can be the manager.”
Icard glared at them, but, initially, didn’t know what else she should do. As she heard more and more of their conversation, Icard couldn’t help but think that they were a classic, if not cliche, example of high-school “mean” girls, picking on someone else for their own pleasure.
Icard wanted to say something, but she kept hoping that they would say something nice and redeem themselves. She hoped that her first judgment was incorrect.
Of course, their behavior did not change. Frustrated, Icard left to purchase her groceries, without saying anything to the group of girls.
As Icard was shopping for groceries, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted. On the one hand, part of her job was to teach girls how to stand up for each other. On the other hand, Icard wasn’t sure if it was her business to say something to this group of teenagers.
She could relate to the Catherines of this world. When she was 13, she had a similar horrific experience. When invited to a Bat Mitzvah, Icard convinced her mom to give her money so that she could purchase a gift for her friend. Icard chose a collection of beads that formed a bracelet. However, when she gave her friend the bracelet, she snickered and made fun of the gift.
But she couldn’t get what happened out of her head. As she was driving home, she saw the group of teens still sitting at Starbucks. She sped home, grabbed a card, and wrote a well-intentioned note.
She went back to Starbucks and ordered three drinks for the girls. She walked up to them and handed them the note:
“Hi Girls. You don’t know me but it looks like you’re here studying and I wrote you a note of encouragement.”
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Source: Today.com
Here is the full text of her letter:
“Hi Girls!I sat near you today in Starbucks and listened as you talked. You three are obviously pretty and hard-working. I wish your kindness matched your pretty exteriors. I heard you talk about a girl who sang a song about being lonely in the talent show – and you laughed. About a girl who couldn’t be lead singer because you got all the votes, about crappy presents other people have given you…and you sounded so mean and petty.You are smart and you are pretty. It would take nothing from you to also be kind.– M.”
Icard normally would not emphasize the girls’ appearance but thought it was important to speak “their language” before telling them what she thought of their behavior. She also wanted them to know that their appearance would only hide their personality for so long.
Icard doesn’t know how the girls received the letter. It is possible they threw the note away and thought nothing of it.
However, it is also possible that her note made them take an honest look at their own behavior.
Icard may or may not have overstepped her bounds, but she delivered a thought-provoking point in a discrete manner, without publicly shaming the girls.
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