Guest guest Posted January 22, 2003 Report Share Posted January 22, 2003 SEPARATE BUT EQUAL ....I first got a good dose of the pain of prejudice when I was about 10 years old, I think, sometime in the early 1960's. In my day, it was generally safe for young kids to wander away from home and walk downtown alone, even a little girl like I still was then. It was early springtime. I had wandered to King’s College, a Catholic college, about a 10 minute walk from my home, going into center city Wilkes-Barre. I came across a dark skinned man sitting on the wall alone outside the front of the main building. Somehow I was drawn right to him. I walked over to him and struck up a conversation with him. He told me he was a teacher at the school. I think he was from India. I don't remember all the details, mostly the pain of what followed. As we talked, and he told me he was lonely because he was new here in America, I invited him to come home with me. He resisted and told me he thought that was not a good idea. My parents would not want me bringing home strangers. Stubborn even then, I insisted he was wrong and talked him into going home with me. We walked together to my home. He must have insisted that I bring her out, because all I remember next is being in front of my house. When my mother saw him, she almost fainted!!! I can still remember the look on her face. No it was not ok for me to bring him home. She made me go inside the house and talked to him alone outside. Of course, he was a total gentleman. He left without another word to me...I don't think I ever got to say goodbye to him. That part is hazy. The pain of prejudice is still quite clear in my Heart. I cried so hard and I was so mad at her. She explained to me that he was different and that he did not fit in with our kind. It had little to do with me being a 10 year old girl; she said nothing about danger, only about difference. I still think about him sometimes and how terrible he must have felt, not just for himself but for me. I was so sure it was ok, and he saw me get a good dose of prejudice and a good dent in my innocence. All he wanted was someone to talk to... -Genocide of The Damned...A Child's Prayer for Life- Joyce Jean Sweinberg The Heart Is The Self. The Self Is The Heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2003 Report Share Posted January 22, 2003 Hello Joyce Jean - Wow! Is this part of the book you are writing? Your writing is so moving and sad and poignant; and it is such an abomination that these prejudices occurred and still occur even now in the 21st Century. Thank you for sharing this moment from your childhood. love, joyce , "Lady Joyce" <ladyjoy@v...> wrote: > SEPARATE BUT EQUAL > > ...I first got a good dose of the pain of prejudice when I was about 10 years old, I think, sometime in the early 1960's. In my day, it was generally safe for young kids to wander away from home and walk downtown alone, even a little girl like I still was then. It was early springtime. I had wandered to King's College, a Catholic college, about a 10 minute walk from my home, going into center city Wilkes-Barre. I came across a dark skinned man sitting on the wall alone outside the front of the main building. Somehow I was drawn right to him. I walked over to him and struck up a conversation with him. He told me he was a teacher at the school. I think he was from India. I don't remember all the details, mostly the pain of what followed. > > As we talked, and he told me he was lonely because he was new here in America, I invited him to come home with me. He resisted and told me he thought that was not a good idea. My parents would not want me bringing home strangers. Stubborn even then, I insisted he was wrong and talked him into going home with me. We walked together to my home. He must have insisted that I bring her out, because all I remember next is being in front of my house. When my mother saw him, she almost fainted!!! I can still remember the look on her face. No it was not ok for me to bring him home. > > She made me go inside the house and talked to him alone outside. Of course, he was a total gentleman. He left without another word to me...I don't think I ever got to say goodbye to him. That part is hazy. The pain of prejudice is still quite clear in my Heart. I cried so hard and I was so mad at her. She explained to me that he was different and that he did not fit in with our kind. It had little to do with me being a 10 year old girl; she said nothing about danger, only about difference. I still think about him sometimes and how terrible he must have felt, not just for himself but for me. I was so sure it was ok, and he saw me get a good dose of prejudice and a good dent in my innocence. All he wanted was someone to talk to... > > -Genocide of The Damned...A Child's Prayer for Life- Joyce Jean Sweinberg > > > > The Heart Is The Self. The Self Is The Heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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