All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.
TETHER BALL AT RECESS
The tether ball chains chimed at the beginning
of recess, but we hung out under the monkey bars. I
was the disputed tether ball champion, but my friend
refused to play, no matter how strongly I urged him.
My friend finally told me the reason: As his cousin
was riding his bike through the park, near
the rioting, a cop pulled him down and beat him.
“He’s only twelve years old. He wasn’t hurting anyone:
Why would they do that?” “I don’t know,” I mourned--
“C’mon, let’s play tether ball!” He turned away, “I can’t.
My parents told me I can’t be with white people anymore
because you just can’t trust 'em.” I shouted over
the ringing chains, "But I didn’t do anything!”
Squinting and sweating, he just shook his head
at everything I said as fists kept thudding and the balls
kept whirling. I never played tether ball again.
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