#19 - Discrimination

Small Minds

Segment Notes: I planned for some time to write a fic touching on lingering prejudice in New Domino City, even moreso after a conversation with Time Thief. I may write something longer later, but for now, this is the fic that came out of the perfect prompt here. The idea expanded to include racism as well as prejudice against people with prison marks.

While most of the City accepted those from the Satellite and wanted to reunite, the old prejudices definitely couldn't be erased completely despite the connecting of the sectors. Kalin discovered this every now and then when they were in the City to visit their friends or to pick up supplies that just weren't around in the Satellite. On another occasion, he discovered that some people had reasons to hate both him and Radley, much to his disgust.

"We don't cater to Satellite scum around here," one electronics store owner coldly told them as he eyed Kalin's prison mark. "Or dirty Mexicans either, no matter how white their skin is."

Radley glowered at him. "Well, aren't you high and mighty," he grunted with dripping sarcasm. "Your parents must be so proud."

Kalin was outright angry. "You're turning away a lot of your customer base," he said. "We both have a legal right to be here."

"I never accepted reuniting with the Satellite," was the disgusted reply. "And I've never liked illegal aliens either."

"Ooh, my family would be thoroughly insulted, considering they've been here perfectly legally for several generations," Radley replied, deliberately thickening his accent as he leaned on the counter with one elbow.

"Yeah? And just who's your family?" the owner mocked.

Radley smiled. "Ever hear of the Ramon winery?"

The man blanched. "You can't really mean . . . ! You're just saying that to get a rise out of me!"

"I'd like to see you prove that," Radley said.

Kalin smirked. "The next time you decide to insult someone, maybe you should find out exactly who it is you're insulting," he said as he turned away. "Not to mention get your other facts straight."

"What other facts?" the man scowled.

"Radley is of Spanish descent," Kalin flatly told him. "Even Malcolm got that right."

"Well . . . you're still Satellite scum!" the owner snapped, grasping for straws to save face.

"And the Satellite probably wouldn't be in as good a condition as it is without him," Radley remarked. "He led a movement to get rid of all the duel gangs. Successfully too." He strolled off with Kalin while the owner gaped after them.

Kalin was still in a bad mood when he and Radley left. "I haven't run into someone like that in a while," he said.

"Me either," Radley said. "But it's happened to me before. You know, I wouldn't really mind being mistaken for Mexican, except that it's always a derogatory experience. And it's not like it makes much difference to most of those creeps that they got it wrong; they tend to hate all Hispanics."

Kalin nodded. "Just like they hate all Satellites."

Radley nodded too, and sighed. "And that's in addition to prejudice against us because we're motorcyclists. Some people still think I'm dangerous and rough."

"Whereas if they actually bothered to get to know you, they'd find out you're gentle and kind," Kalin said.

Radley smiled a bit, but said, "I guess some level of prejudice will always exist."

"We'll just have to be grateful not everyone in the City is like that," Kalin said.

"I sure am," Radley said. ". . . Hey, I think that guy's still watching us. Let's give him something else to get bent out of shape about. He'll probably completely misconstrue this." With a mischievous smirk, he brought an arm around Kalin's waist.

Kalin smirked too. He drew an arm around Radley's shoulders.

They walked past the owner's window, Radley giving him a wave and another smirk as they passed by and leaning into Kalin's arm for good measure. The man stared at them, humphed, and abruptly turned away.

Radley laughed when they were around the corner and back to their motorcycles. "I knew that would get his goat."

Kalin smirked a bit. Only very close friends could comfortably pull that off without also being lovers.

"That felt good," he had to admit.

"It did," Radley snarked. Sobering, he added, "Although it wasn't just teasing that guy that felt good."

Kalin smiled. He knew what Radley meant, and he agreed. Radley had always enjoyed physical contact. Now Kalin had come to enjoy it himself.

"You're right," he said. "That felt good too."