WHY DID YOU SPIT ON MEE!!!.......Those Words,.......although,
almost 40 years ago, since; Mike cried them out to me...... Still, haunt my being, when I think back to 1968. I believe it's a lesson that, will remain with me untill, my death.
I'm not proud, in fact almost hesitant, to admit this to you.........
I did spit on Mike!!!...... As we stood with our bikes after school, on a nice California spring day ....I called upon any ,and all salava that could be mustered from my body into my mouth...... Then.. I spit on my friend, Mike!!!......right on his black face!, , Yes ,Mike was a black boy, and me white......... I looked at him
and I just seen this nasty white salava; illuminating against his dark skin........
As he cried out to me why!!? With the look of disbelief, shock,and hurt in his face!!
I could only stare back at him, myself stunned, and bewildered,and I wondered how long, before; he punches me right in the face!
In 1967, I lived with my family, which consisted of one brother one
sister,Mother,and (respectively) who ever she was married to at the time. We moved into a racially mixed neighborhood. It was the First time I was exposed to black people,as far as living amongst ,and going to school with them. I was 10
and in the fifth grade.........It was a very active period durring this time in our
country; Civil rights, Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Viet Nam.....None of
it, which I knew anything of, nor did I care to. I just wanted to play.
It did'nt take long for me to realize; something was different about
this school and my class mates. Some , mainly my black class mates were it seemed excited,jubilant most of the time........ It appeared almost like the type of
feeling I had when I knew summer break from school was comming in one day.
They were always asking me "did you hear what Dr King said".....WHO? I would think to myself.....Some of my black class mates would ask me to come to there
house and listen to an album of Dr King, which I would always rapidly decline!
I mean we were ten and eleven years old! We had some serious play time to do!
I still did'nt nor did I want to know anything about a "DR"
On this particular day, the school was completely crazy!!! Students, and staff....Our teacher Miss Clary, informed us it was time to go to the Autotrium
BoBBy KENNEDY would soon be arriving at our school. "Who?" I thought, I honestly did not know who he was. ....Anyways we down there the whole school is there and the excitement from the students was that of a Detroit celebration after the Pistons win the NBA title---less the vandalism---.................WE waited
and waited and the excitement grew........Then we were told we needed to go outside....so all students were heared to the play ground........The longer the wait
the more the excitement grew!!!.......Finially, Bobby Kennedys Limo turned into the playground area . By then I was excited, I was gona meet "Bobby Kennedy?
Bobby stepped out of his limo and started to walk towards the podeum .........
He got maybe 6 steps away from the limo and he was mobbed by every black student there, to them he was like a god!....He gently did an about face to the left,
and calmly returned, and got into his limo and drove away........Who could blame him! I've seen similiar things in my life since......but hey this was before rock concerts...ok lol (I later learned this was an attempt for a photo op)
That night ......Martin Luther King was shot and killed. I went to school the next day, and all of my black excited class mates, were now; sad, and very ANGRY!!...........From that day foward, I was constantly attacked!! physically
beaten by 2 or more students,chased home from school,and was verbally told "I killed Dr. King..This went on for a month, everyday! We (my family)moved to California (when I was older, I learned Bobby Kennedy was in my city that night
"still" and prevented major race riots from happening)
As I stood there looking at Mike, all I could say was "I don't know, I don't know why I spit on you!.....Still antisipating a punch..........You know what he did?
He began to wipe off the spit, gently. I said "Mike I'm sorry!" he again ask; why did you do it?..... I replied, I don't know? ....I really did'nt
Mike then looks at me calmly and says "would like to come home with me and have dinner with my family?" ........OH!!! that made me feel so low!
I replied with an obligatory yes!...When really all I wanted to do is go home and soak in my shame!..................We got to the house, his mother and brother were sitting down at the kitchen table ready to eat....We joined them, Much to my surprise, Mike did not mention the incident at all durring the meal with his family.
He did'nt have to. ..................The Lesson was taught in actions not words .
Mike and I remained friends.
Thank you Mike!
This incident really bothered me!...As I got older, I figured it all out.
I was Subconciously taking out my anger on Mike, because of the past experiences,but the age of 11,it was too much for me, not him.......No justification, I know! ........All I could do, was learn and grow.........and I have. Prayers,and hope, President Obama .
I'm proud your representing America....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt1hiu4UcRo <------ great song
.
Copy & paste to friend: (Click inside box; Ctrl + C to copy; Ctrl + V to paste)
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read more blogs!
Blogs by hoftner:
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| Why!!; did you ....Spit on me?!!!!!! |
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lazareth
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Jan 19 @ 10:09AM
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Kudos.... 
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missliss78
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Jan 19 @ 12:40PM
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What an amazing memory!
This was a great story to tell today, hof.
Thanks so much for sharing with us!
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hoftner
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Jan 19 @ 5:53PM
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Thank you Miss, and Laz
** Also, I made an error imagine that 
"where it reads 1967, the correct year is 1968
in the spring, in Indianapolis. In California, 1968
it was the fall of that year... not that good of memory
Miss
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summerbreeze916
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Jan 19 @ 8:24PM
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Excellent blog, hoftner........
All I could do, was learn and grow.........and I have.
And this is all that matters.
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suthrn_belle
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Jan 19 @ 9:28PM
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Hoftner..thanks for sharing this. Mama taught me never to look at a person's skin, look at their heart. I have researched the Kennedy's, their time was for change, kinda like Abe Lincoln. Mama has a video of J. Kennedy's death and of Bobby's also.
So family oriented and a family sorely missed.
I'm gonna play this song, if you don't want it posted..feel free to delete it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoerox8yO-8
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wandaful123
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Jan 19 @ 9:48PM
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The Lesson was taught in actions not words . Powerful... we could all take a lesson from that small boy.
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sybnann
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Jan 19 @ 10:29PM
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This was great! Thanks for sharing!! I enjoyed reading it a lot! I do wish every one could learn the lesson that you have.
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Kathryntl
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Feb 5 @ 12:58PM
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You my friend are a great writer. Do you do any writing for a living? You should consider putting some on Associated Content. It's free to submit poetry, writings, audios and videos. You get paid too. It may not be much but they always have topics on call and you can claim them and get paid more..
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funisnumber1
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Feb 5 @ 2:43PM
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Kudos. All I've got!
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misschief
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Feb 5 @ 2:51PM
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~*~ I read this before, not sure why I didn't comment.
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