As a child, Ben was a brilliant, sensitve, caring, and shy individual. He developed an intense crush on one his classmates, Beverly Marsh. Being an overweight individual, Ben was often a frequent victim of Henry Bowers, who usually referred to him as "Fatboy" or "Fatfuck". His first encounter with It was in January of 1958 while crossing the canal on his way home from school. Pennywise appears down the canal and offers Ben a balloon, which floats--against the howling wind--in Ben's direction. Even at eleven, Ben has the mind of an engineer, and is distracted wondering about the ability of the balloon to float against the wind. When he regains his senses, he finds that the clown has almost reached him, and has transformed into a mummy. The town whistle blows, distracting both parties, and B