Racism and Redemption

Zack attended private school until he completed eighth grade. Just after his graduation his father was laid off, while he found a new job almost immediately the reduction in salary required everyone in the family to tighten their belts. For Zack this meant leaving private high school behind and embracing the wonderful world of public education.

Therefore he was surprised when on the first day of school he ran across several friends who he had believed were attending the local private high school not RHS. As fate would have it their families had also ran into some financial setbacks making it necessary for their sons to abandon the private school route. While they had never hung out together he was pleased to know he was not the only new fish in the big pond.

Zack, while naturally somewhat of a loner never really had much difficulty striking up conversation and developing new friendships. His first weeks at RHS were no exception. Not that they were the type of friends destined for a lifetime by his side, they were however acquaintances who made the transition to public school much easier.

One in particular was Ryan Tibbit. He was a lifetime public schooler but Zack did not hold that against him. They had been seated next to each other in first period study hall and soon realized they shared a common passion: baseball. While the other students were rushing to complete unfinished homework they discovered that each of them had their textbook open with the local sports page buried inside. The clincher was that they were both reading an article regarding the previous nights Dodger game. Though they lived several hundred miles outside of Los Angeles it turned out they both bled Dodger Blue.

They began spending breaks and lunch together, discussing the standings and the possibility of the boys in blue returning to the world series. They both felt the drought had gone on long enough and were ready for some post-season excitement. Zack soon discovered that Ryan and him had something else in common: they both had world-class baseball card collections passed from their father's. Soon plans were being made for Ryan to ride the bus home with Zack on the following Monday so they could compare and swap cards.

Monday came and the boys found themselves sprawled on the floor in Zack's room pouring over binders filled with baseball cards. They found that between the two collections that Ryan owned the rarest overall card while Zack owned the rarest Dodger card. A transistor radio was soon added to the background as the velvet tones of Vin Scully called the action for the day's game.

Time passed and before they realized it six o'clock had come and gone. Ryan called his mom to come and pick him up. They began to clean up the cards when Zack's father returned from work. Zack called for his dad and asked him to come into his room to meet his new friend.

Mr. Wilson stood in the doorway while his son made the introductions.

"Nice to meet you Ryan. Would you mind if I borrowed my son for a moment I need to have a word with him in private."
"Not at all Mr. Wilson, Zack and I were just cleaning up my mother should be here in a few moments to take me home."

Ryan returned to cleaning up the cards while Zack followed his father into his parent's bedroom. Mr. Wilson shut the door behind them and Zack began a mental checklist attempting to determine what house rule he had broken.

His father toward him, his face was red and he appeared to be fighting a losing battle to remain in control of his temper. "May I ask what that kid is doing in my house?"

Zack gave his father a puzzled look; he had often had friends over after school. "We were trading baseball cards, my homework is done and you never said I could not have friends over after school."

"Zack you are not understanding my point what is that particular friend doing in my house?"

"Dad I do not understand the problem, he is just a friend from school. Why is it such a big deal?"

"I will tell you the big deal Zack, your "friend" Ryan is black and I do not want him inside my house. You go back to your room and get him out. I do not care what you tell him but you are never to invite him over again and I also do not want to here that you visited his house. Do I make myself clear?"

"But Dad…"

"No buts. Move it mister. This matter is closed and you will do as I say."

With that Zack's father walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Zack was frozen in place his eyes were filled with tears of mystification. He knew his father had grown up in the south but until this very moment he had not know that his father was prejudiced. For his part while he realized that Ryan was black it had never dawned on him that this could somehow make him different. He was just a kid like him who loved baseball. Why did adults have to make the world so complicated? What was the point in judging others by their DNA strands?

Zack dried his eyes and made it out of his dad's room just as Ryan was heading for the door his mom was waiting for him in the driveway.

"Thanks for coming Ryan. I had a great time you have an excellent collection."

"Thanks for having me Zack. Is everything OK you look somewhat stressed"

"Its no big deal my dad was mad at me for having company over without him or my mother being home. He laid down the law. No more after school visits for anyone."
Zack could tell by the look in Ryan's eyes that he did not believe him. He must have sensed something when his father had come into the room. Zack stood in the doorway and sadly watched his friend drive away.

The next day at school things were different. Ryan and him still talked but Zack could already sense them drifting apart. Friendships were difficult enough to maintain without one friend being banned from the other friend's house for racial reasons. Soon Ryan began hanging with a new group in study hall and Zack often found himself pondering the seeds of hate that still blossomed throughout the world.

Postscript: Zack's younger sister was five years behind him in school and had their father wrapped around her little finger. By the time she left private high school he had mellowed with age and Ashley was able to bring home friends of any nationality or race without a peep from dear old dad.

Zack observed the comings and goings of Ashley's friends with a bemused expression on his face. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks and his dad was the proof in the pudding.