I’m about to bite into my lunch. A sandwich I’ve been waiting to eat for five classes when all of a sudden I hear something I really don’t like. A kid with mocha brown hair and a tattered shirt announces that he’s gonna go beat up the little Indian freshman with his own turban. My sandwich falls out of my hand as I push back my orange lunch chair. The loud screech startles everyone, including me. But I don’t care. When I hear someone say one word about my culture, about something I believe in, then I set them straight.

“What did you just say?” I question as I pull him by his collar and throw him against the rough wall. He cackles in my face, which makes me even madder. I shove him up harder now and ask one more time. “What the hell did you just say?” This time he unexpectedly pushes me out of the way.







“I said that I’m gonna go beat up that little brown freshman with his own turban!” He looks to me and smiles. I can see his sharp yellow teeth pointing in all directions as I picture myself knocking them all out.



That’s it. That’s where he drew the line. I walk to him and once again, throw him to the concrete wall, but with much more force this time. We are now face-to-face and I can feel the veins on my neck bulging out, but I don’t care.

Then, I hear clapping. I turn around to see the freshman who I saved standing with a smile on his face. Soon enough, the whole cafeteria is on their feet, applauding for me. I start to walk again and I smile. I can’t help myself.

And you may be thinking that I’m smiling because everyone’s clapping for me. But you’re wrong. I’m happy because I love being Indian. I love being different and if I had the choice, I wouldn’t change who I am. For some people, racism really gets to them. Sure, it may mean a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. But to me, all it is is another 6 letter, 2 syllable word in the English dictionary. And that’s all it’ll ever be.