children and racism
The little girl rolled forward on wobbly legs trying not to loose balance before
getting on the rink floor. Once she had her speed up, she knew that she
would be less likely to fall. He older brother raced past and the rush of air
nearly toppled her. Her brother had grace and coordination while she was the
"clumsy" one. "Little miss klutz," as she was playfully known as, had sprained
her ankle 8 times in the first grade. Now, in the 4th grade, she wasn't any
more graceful. Roller skating always made her feel free, like a bird in flight.
Out on the rink floor she was free, not different than her classmates with her
long black hair and olive tone skin. Her family wasn't one of "those people".
She didn't need to be a Susan or a Bethany to fit in, she could just be a free
bird all alone. It was only the navigating past 100 other children in order to
reach the rink that posed any problem for her.
The roller skating rink smelled like a mixture of freshly popped popcorn and
hot chocolate. The little girls mother left her with her older brother each
Saturday at the roller rink, ice rink or movie theatre so that she could get her
weekly shopping done, buy birthday or Christmas gifts without being caught,
or simply catch a nap with the baby. The roller rink was the little girl's favorite.
The PA system announces a change of direction and all skaters must exit the
rink before entering to skate the other way. On the way out a tall boy of about
16 whisked past then turned and stopped in front of her. She looked down to
the floor pretending to check her laces. "My brother wants to skate with you,"
the big boy said, "he's over there," and pointed to a place the little girl wasn't
looking. To shy to answer, she grabbed hold of the side rail and pulled
herself along toward her sneakers. She looked around for her big brother, but
he was at the snack bar, out of sight.
Three songs later and the light dimmed in the rink. A slow song stared and
the PA system announces a couples skate. The big boy returns. The girl
looks up into his shining eyes and for the first time sees the exceptionally
handsome boy. Her heart was racing. He grabs her hand and places it into
the hand of his awkward little brother, pushing them both toward the rink.
Other than her brothers, the little girl had never held the hands of a boy
before. His hands were sweaty and rough and he wasn't as handsome as
his big brother, but she was excited that she was skating with a boy for the
first time. Too afraid to think that her brother might be watching, she kept her
eyes down for the entire song. Neither child spoke. Her skating partner was
equally as clumsy, but the two did manage to skate without falling over each
other. When the couples skate ended the children let go hands. The boy
mustered up all the bravery he could and said, "I like you, will you skate with
me again?" The girl shyly nodded a yes and went off the rink in another
direction.
At her exit the girl was met by two sweet looking blond haired girls. The girls
were older and stood, arms crossed, blocking the exit. The little girl tried not
to look up and attempted to go around the big girls. "So, you're a nigger lover
huh?" the lead girl spat out. The little girl wasn't completely sure what nigger
meant, but she remembered asking her mother what bitch meant and
decided she wouldn't ask her mother what nigger was. The girls spewed out
more words and threats, making sure to scare the little girl so badly that
when the boy came to skate with her again, she hung her head and wouldn't
speak. She was proud of herself for not crying in front of the girls like she
usually did, but she was painfully choking back tears for the friend she could
have had.
He brother skated up and said, "c'mon, mom's here and we gotta go!" He
smiled at the little boy and skated off to his sneakers. The little girl sat silently
in the back seat all the way home.
That night the little girl cried herself to sleep.
getting on the rink floor. Once she had her speed up, she knew that she
would be less likely to fall. He older brother raced past and the rush of air
nearly toppled her. Her brother had grace and coordination while she was the
"clumsy" one. "Little miss klutz," as she was playfully known as, had sprained
her ankle 8 times in the first grade. Now, in the 4th grade, she wasn't any
more graceful. Roller skating always made her feel free, like a bird in flight.
Out on the rink floor she was free, not different than her classmates with her
long black hair and olive tone skin. Her family wasn't one of "those people".
She didn't need to be a Susan or a Bethany to fit in, she could just be a free
bird all alone. It was only the navigating past 100 other children in order to
reach the rink that posed any problem for her.
The roller skating rink smelled like a mixture of freshly popped popcorn and
hot chocolate. The little girls mother left her with her older brother each
Saturday at the roller rink, ice rink or movie theatre so that she could get her
weekly shopping done, buy birthday or Christmas gifts without being caught,
or simply catch a nap with the baby. The roller rink was the little girl's favorite.
The PA system announces a change of direction and all skaters must exit the
rink before entering to skate the other way. On the way out a tall boy of about
16 whisked past then turned and stopped in front of her. She looked down to
the floor pretending to check her laces. "My brother wants to skate with you,"
the big boy said, "he's over there," and pointed to a place the little girl wasn't
looking. To shy to answer, she grabbed hold of the side rail and pulled
herself along toward her sneakers. She looked around for her big brother, but
he was at the snack bar, out of sight.
Three songs later and the light dimmed in the rink. A slow song stared and
the PA system announces a couples skate. The big boy returns. The girl
looks up into his shining eyes and for the first time sees the exceptionally
handsome boy. Her heart was racing. He grabs her hand and places it into
the hand of his awkward little brother, pushing them both toward the rink.
Other than her brothers, the little girl had never held the hands of a boy
before. His hands were sweaty and rough and he wasn't as handsome as
his big brother, but she was excited that she was skating with a boy for the
first time. Too afraid to think that her brother might be watching, she kept her
eyes down for the entire song. Neither child spoke. Her skating partner was
equally as clumsy, but the two did manage to skate without falling over each
other. When the couples skate ended the children let go hands. The boy
mustered up all the bravery he could and said, "I like you, will you skate with
me again?" The girl shyly nodded a yes and went off the rink in another
direction.
At her exit the girl was met by two sweet looking blond haired girls. The girls
were older and stood, arms crossed, blocking the exit. The little girl tried not
to look up and attempted to go around the big girls. "So, you're a nigger lover
huh?" the lead girl spat out. The little girl wasn't completely sure what nigger
meant, but she remembered asking her mother what bitch meant and
decided she wouldn't ask her mother what nigger was. The girls spewed out
more words and threats, making sure to scare the little girl so badly that
when the boy came to skate with her again, she hung her head and wouldn't
speak. She was proud of herself for not crying in front of the girls like she
usually did, but she was painfully choking back tears for the friend she could
have had.
He brother skated up and said, "c'mon, mom's here and we gotta go!" He
smiled at the little boy and skated off to his sneakers. The little girl sat silently
in the back seat all the way home.
That night the little girl cried herself to sleep.
Views: 50
Comment
-
Comment by Juan Almonte on January 13, 2009 at 12:09am
-
Where is this story from?
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Network Financial Administration.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Indigenous Caribbean Network to add comments!
Join Indigenous Caribbean Network