stranger. And so this was part of the new world Japes had landed in. Hanging with these girls most definitely put a chill down his spine, and in fact the servers who befriended him the most turned out to be the black servers.
He knew what it felt like to be discriminated against, as his unusually narrow build and sunken chest became the object of ridicule throughout his youth. Well-honed psychological lines of defense had been fully developed by this point in his life, and certainly his new friends could relate. Appreciating his company, and accepting him into the culture, the black servers, both from local communities and from other countries became his ally. Some had even been in prison for serious crimes, but what struck him the most, …show more content…
The clinging and clanging of the trolley wheels constantly reminded Japes of his less than desirable apartment location. The building was not in a great neighborhood, but was only a few hundred yards from the ‘night life’. He was the only person in the building who was not black. His family asked,“ What makes you think it isn't a safe area?" " It is suggested that I secure a six foot long crow bar up against the door as a lock every night; this is not exactly The Ritz.” That night, as Japes sat looking out at a five-alarm fire across the street, he decided to call home. “What kind of a place have I landed in?” He asked his mother. ““They are all different, but keep working hard, you will do fine.” “Mom, I am sitting here with my feet up watching half of a city block go up in flames, and I live in an apartment that has a metal bar fastened to my door to keep me safe. I am the only white person on the block, and my only friends at work are the black servers. They are more like my childhood buddy’s than any of the others. My boss does not worry about important things just what people think.” “Just work hard Japes you'll be fine, ” said his mother. Japes loved his mother and knew all these questions would be answered with time, besides it was almost summer and he would be going away to a camp. Grubland was closed for the summer and he would be assigned a cook's job at a camp for young girls. It would be a quick trip north to a little town in the
He knew what it felt like to be discriminated against, as his unusually narrow build and sunken chest became the object of ridicule throughout his youth. Well-honed psychological lines of defense had been fully developed by this point in his life, and certainly his new friends could relate. Appreciating his company, and accepting him into the culture, the black servers, both from local communities and from other countries became his ally. Some had even been in prison for serious crimes, but what struck him the most, …show more content…
The clinging and clanging of the trolley wheels constantly reminded Japes of his less than desirable apartment location. The building was not in a great neighborhood, but was only a few hundred yards from the ‘night life’. He was the only person in the building who was not black. His family asked,“ What makes you think it isn't a safe area?" " It is suggested that I secure a six foot long crow bar up against the door as a lock every night; this is not exactly The Ritz.” That night, as Japes sat looking out at a five-alarm fire across the street, he decided to call home. “What kind of a place have I landed in?” He asked his mother. ““They are all different, but keep working hard, you will do fine.” “Mom, I am sitting here with my feet up watching half of a city block go up in flames, and I live in an apartment that has a metal bar fastened to my door to keep me safe. I am the only white person on the block, and my only friends at work are the black servers. They are more like my childhood buddy’s than any of the others. My boss does not worry about important things just what people think.” “Just work hard Japes you'll be fine, ” said his mother. Japes loved his mother and knew all these questions would be answered with time, besides it was almost summer and he would be going away to a camp. Grubland was closed for the summer and he would be assigned a cook's job at a camp for young girls. It would be a quick trip north to a little town in the