Armpit's story! Armpit needs a story! A-R-M-PI to the T! ^_^
~*~
Prejudice. Such a simple word, but it means so much. It separates people, brings hate between people, and it causes many hurt feelings and broken hearts. I don't normally talk like this, like I know everything and all, but this is something I've experienced way too many times before. Too many people have called me rude and hurtful names, judged me by how I look (so what if I'm not Denzel?), and made fun of me because of my size. Too many times. And I would've done something terrible about it if I hadn't been sent to Camp Green Lake and met the guys.
It's almost like in a book I read one time. A guy goes nuts when he doesn't have anyone. The guy who said it didn't fit in because he was black. But he was right. A guy can go nuts when he doesn't have anyone to look out for and vice versa. I was almost on the verge of going nuts, but then I got sent to Camp Green Lake. The school that I went to wasn't exactly the best school to attend. You never saw people of different races hanging out together. It was always segregated. I know the segregation thing's practically over today and all, but it was the kids' choice to be like that and no teacher ever did anything to stop it. It was practically the same thing everyday. You'd see the cheerleaders and football players hanging around together along with their preppy friends. No black kids would ever try out for stuff like that. It wasn't worth it. You'd just see us chilling out on the courtyard freestyling and holding little dance competitions. But it wasn't always "peaceful." Occasionally there would be fights. They'd happen in the strangest places, like in one of the restrooms. One time there was a fight in a dumpster outside the school. Don't ask me how they got in there. Anyways, you'd think that since I know this much I must fit in pretty well, right? Wrong. No one ever wanted to hang out with me. I was just this big fat kid.
I didn't really like to be a big part of the school or anything. I just wanted to get through high school, but also have a bit of fun. There was this café that I used to go to all the time. That was my haven. That was the one place in public that I could go to where everyone was treated equally and were respected for who they were as a person. I used to talk with the owner of the café. His name was Koy and he came from the Philippines. Sometimes he served up dishes like "pansit" and "lecheflan." I thought they were pretty good, but they were nothing compared to Mrs. Koy's shanghai egg rolls. I loved it there, especially when Koy's son Shaine was there. Shaine was about my age and he'd attempt to teach me Tagalog. We'd laugh because I could never say the words right. I would tell Mr. Koy about stuff that went on at my school. He always told me that if I would just ignore what was around me and just stuck to my education, that I'd be just fine. He also gave me other good advice like not to date until I was old enough. I wasn't really into girls that much yet, anyways. One summer, Koy and his family moved away and the café was turned into this karaoke/dance club thing. A lot of people from school heard about it and they started hanging out there. My haven was destroyed.
I hated it there. Just like I hated everywhere else, but I kept going there. I don't know why, though. Maybe it was because I felt it was my duty to watch over Koy's café, but it was no longer Koy's café, and I knew that Koy was not coming back. I just wanted to kill something. I don't care if it was a plant, an insect, a helpless bird, or even me. That last one sounded good, though.
Man, I hated it at that karaoke place! Everyone who went onstage didn't have ANY talent whatsoever. I think they were drunk. One night I decided for the heck of it that I would go up there to sing a 50 cent song. I must've been drunk, too. The moment I got up there, people from school were already booing me. I ignored them and just went on with the song. When the song ended, it was hell. An usher guy pulled me off the stage and told me to not go up there again and that I was displeasing customers. Hell, I WAS a customer! I decided to leave but before I could take two steps towards the door a guy tripped me and said "Nice going, fat bastard." That comment was just WAY OUT OF LINE. Before I could think, I got up and charged at him. I didn't know what happened after that. All I remember was that a cop was holding me back and I saw that guy just lying there and blood was coming out of his mouth and nose.
I was sent to Camp Green Lake two days later and I've been here ever since. Everyone sort of just sticks with their tents and if there is a fight, it's a minor thing. We've had enough hate in our lives, so we don't need it here. People in D-tent are reliable, trustworthy and really nice guys. Like me, they've all made mistakes. They say that the digging here's supposed to turn us into good guys, but I don't think so. I think it's because all of us here have been through tough times and we're helping each other move on and by doing that, we become better people.
THE END.
~*~
*Goes off to huggle Armpit . . . while plugging her nose* ^_^;
~Shae~
~*~
Prejudice. Such a simple word, but it means so much. It separates people, brings hate between people, and it causes many hurt feelings and broken hearts. I don't normally talk like this, like I know everything and all, but this is something I've experienced way too many times before. Too many people have called me rude and hurtful names, judged me by how I look (so what if I'm not Denzel?), and made fun of me because of my size. Too many times. And I would've done something terrible about it if I hadn't been sent to Camp Green Lake and met the guys.
It's almost like in a book I read one time. A guy goes nuts when he doesn't have anyone. The guy who said it didn't fit in because he was black. But he was right. A guy can go nuts when he doesn't have anyone to look out for and vice versa. I was almost on the verge of going nuts, but then I got sent to Camp Green Lake. The school that I went to wasn't exactly the best school to attend. You never saw people of different races hanging out together. It was always segregated. I know the segregation thing's practically over today and all, but it was the kids' choice to be like that and no teacher ever did anything to stop it. It was practically the same thing everyday. You'd see the cheerleaders and football players hanging around together along with their preppy friends. No black kids would ever try out for stuff like that. It wasn't worth it. You'd just see us chilling out on the courtyard freestyling and holding little dance competitions. But it wasn't always "peaceful." Occasionally there would be fights. They'd happen in the strangest places, like in one of the restrooms. One time there was a fight in a dumpster outside the school. Don't ask me how they got in there. Anyways, you'd think that since I know this much I must fit in pretty well, right? Wrong. No one ever wanted to hang out with me. I was just this big fat kid.
I didn't really like to be a big part of the school or anything. I just wanted to get through high school, but also have a bit of fun. There was this café that I used to go to all the time. That was my haven. That was the one place in public that I could go to where everyone was treated equally and were respected for who they were as a person. I used to talk with the owner of the café. His name was Koy and he came from the Philippines. Sometimes he served up dishes like "pansit" and "lecheflan." I thought they were pretty good, but they were nothing compared to Mrs. Koy's shanghai egg rolls. I loved it there, especially when Koy's son Shaine was there. Shaine was about my age and he'd attempt to teach me Tagalog. We'd laugh because I could never say the words right. I would tell Mr. Koy about stuff that went on at my school. He always told me that if I would just ignore what was around me and just stuck to my education, that I'd be just fine. He also gave me other good advice like not to date until I was old enough. I wasn't really into girls that much yet, anyways. One summer, Koy and his family moved away and the café was turned into this karaoke/dance club thing. A lot of people from school heard about it and they started hanging out there. My haven was destroyed.
I hated it there. Just like I hated everywhere else, but I kept going there. I don't know why, though. Maybe it was because I felt it was my duty to watch over Koy's café, but it was no longer Koy's café, and I knew that Koy was not coming back. I just wanted to kill something. I don't care if it was a plant, an insect, a helpless bird, or even me. That last one sounded good, though.
Man, I hated it at that karaoke place! Everyone who went onstage didn't have ANY talent whatsoever. I think they were drunk. One night I decided for the heck of it that I would go up there to sing a 50 cent song. I must've been drunk, too. The moment I got up there, people from school were already booing me. I ignored them and just went on with the song. When the song ended, it was hell. An usher guy pulled me off the stage and told me to not go up there again and that I was displeasing customers. Hell, I WAS a customer! I decided to leave but before I could take two steps towards the door a guy tripped me and said "Nice going, fat bastard." That comment was just WAY OUT OF LINE. Before I could think, I got up and charged at him. I didn't know what happened after that. All I remember was that a cop was holding me back and I saw that guy just lying there and blood was coming out of his mouth and nose.
I was sent to Camp Green Lake two days later and I've been here ever since. Everyone sort of just sticks with their tents and if there is a fight, it's a minor thing. We've had enough hate in our lives, so we don't need it here. People in D-tent are reliable, trustworthy and really nice guys. Like me, they've all made mistakes. They say that the digging here's supposed to turn us into good guys, but I don't think so. I think it's because all of us here have been through tough times and we're helping each other move on and by doing that, we become better people.
THE END.
~*~
*Goes off to huggle Armpit . . . while plugging her nose* ^_^;
~Shae~