Author's Notes: Poor Nida is always treated poorly.

Theme: Green


Discrimination

There was no smell quite as pleasing to the boy as that of fresh cut grass. With the smell came a promise of the joyous days to come. It meant wind in his hair and the rush of a goal scored. It meant that summer had come and he could once again play his favorite of the sports.

"Nida, if you don't slow down and tie your shoes you're going to trip and hurt yourself," his mother said with a sigh. It was like this every Saturday.

The young man flopped down onto the floor and set about the tying of his tennis shoes. Around his neck hung the cleats of a football player, this pride and joy. Every Saturday night he cleaned those things and his uniform and his ball with such love and devotion. His mother knew that there was little the young boy loved more than the sport that Americans alone called soccer.

"Kaa-san, do you think that the coach will put me in today?" the young asian asked.

It was the same question every week, and it broke his mother's heart to know her answer could never change.

"I do not know Nida. I am no reader of minds. Maybe he will, maybe he will not. You must take what you have and make due with it."

"I will Kaa-san," he said, smiling widely.

While she forced a smile upon her delicate face, her heart broke at the joyous tone of his voice. The youth would never know how hard she'd had to right that racist, bigot coach just to get him onto the team. He would never know that he was rejected, even though he was the most talented defender on the team, because of the fact that he was asian. How could she tell him that he'd never be equal in that man's eyes, free to run on the green turn he so loved and just be a normal kid?

So she just looked at the boy and smiled as widely as she could.

"Don't worry Nida. Next year you'll be in high school and playing in every game."

The smile of the child grew wider still and he ran outside to the car when she picked up her keys. Someday she would see her little boy happy.