Isolated... at an early age...

So... what happens when you take 1 black kid and put him in a school where he's the only one?

Pain.

They say birds of a feather flock together. And I spent a lot of time feeling like the ugly duckling.

I never got the invitation to participate. I always had to ask. To plead my case... even with people who claimed to be my friends.

2 incidents come to mind that sum up my memories of elementry school...

1) We were in 5th grade. Our art project was to break up into teams and create a film story board, then film a movie. None of my "friends" wanted me to participate.

Every group that I went to gave the same answer.

No.

The feeling was overwhelming. I went over to the counter. Sat down. Pulled my knees into my chest and wept.

2) We were in 6th grade. Lined up to catch the bus home. I was somewhere in the middle of the line when Michael M. pushed me to the back of the line.

"Back of the line, Abdul."

My initial thought was... novel... creative... wrong...

"Dude... I'm not an arab."

"Doesn't matter... you're still a nigger."

I think that's when I hit him.

These were my friends... they helped lay the foundation of why I tend to keep my co-workers and others at arms length.