KARMA´S A B****
Utah is not the best place to be for a black teenager. Coming from that small of a state, white people have had more opportunity´s compared to black people.
Jackson is a 15 year old boy living with his parents. Life is not so sweet for them when it comes to money because they live as a lower class family and it´s not so sweet either when it comes to their race. As a little boy, Jackson’s parents have been struggling with paying bills and giving Jackson the life he deserves. They try their best to take care of him even when time gets rough. Everyday his mom puts the same meal on the table knowing that’s the only thing they can afford. Jackson knows they are doing the best they could and he’s grateful.
When it comes to school, that’s a whole different story for him. White kids come up to him and tease him about his race and how he doesn’t have any money. They shove him in the lockers, trip him around the school hallways, anything they can do to him they do it.
“Hey Jackson, how’s your mommy doing?” one white kid named Jake asked.
“She’s alright,” Jackson stumbles over his words.
“She still sucking to pay the bills?” all the kids began to laugh.
Jackson hates hearing comments about himself especially when it comes to his parents. His anger turns into fiery inside of him but instead he just walks home, he has gotten used to it.
On the way there, Jackson gets stared at by white people all around. Nasty stares. I mean that’s no surprise knowing he’s one of the few black people living in Utah.
While he was walking he remembers when his dad got called rude names and was treated unequally. He was 13 years old and his dad took him with him while he was trying to find a job. When they went inside a diner, Jackson was told by his dad to wait by the door. Jackson couldn’t resist the sweet hamburger smell slightly going out the kitchen. While he was waiting by the door he heard screams.
Screams saying “We don’t want no black person here! Get out, didn’t you read the sign! ‘No Blacks Allowed,’ You guys are criminals.”
When I heard that I looked at the window and saw the sign. I couldn’t believe how one little sign can do so much damage… That day will always stick to with him and me.
As he makes his usual short cut to his house he sees this unusual man leaning on a tree watching him. Not knowing who he is or what he wants Jackson keeps going. But he gets an unusual feeling that he’s still staring.
Jackson walks up to him and yells, “What’s your problem?”
“What’s my problem? Ha. What’s yours? You’ve been letting kids tease you all the time about your identity. I want to help,” the man said
Without a doubt Jackson says, “Go on…”
“Well, I have one wish I can grant you. Anything you want,” the man told him.
“Really?”
“Yeah, just go for it.”
“Ummm….okay. I wish WE HAD A LOT OF MONEY & PEOPLE WOULDN’T TREAT ME THE WAY THEY DO NOW.”
“Okay then.”
In the blink of an eye Jackson wasn’t outside anymore. Instead he was in this unfamiliar room with video games surrounding him and a huge flat screen tv. As he looked around he knew his wish came true. He left the room to go find his parents.
“Morning kiddo,” his dad said
“Goodmorning sweetheart, how was your day?” said the mom.
“Ummm…...It’s actually fantastic.”
“You better hurry up to school, you don’t want to be late.”
Jackson felt happy for the first time in his life. He felt as if finally he could be accepted for who he is. He had new clothes on, new shoes, new backpack, anything a kid could wish for.
Once he got to school he saw Jake and wondered if his full wish got granted. So to find out he went up to.
With his chin held up and his head held high he said, “Hey Jake.”
“Oh, hey,” Jake responded.
Jackson was SO happy now. After everything Jake put him through it was time to make Jake be put in Jackson’s shoes and everyone else who has ever made a comment about him or his parents.
Jackson pushes him towards the locker and grabs him by his sweater.
“Listen you little white ass cracker, now I’m going to be the one that puts my hands on you from now on. Don’t expect for your little stupid ass friends to come and defend you!”
Jake’s eyes widened, he couldn’t believe it. Jackson walked away but this time not with fear, with pride and power. He began to feel more alive than ever.
When he got out of school he noticed that all white people looked at him but instead they smiled. Jackson didn’t know why and he didn’t care he still would back away and give them nasty ass looks like they did to him.
As he was passing down the diner, he noticed something suspicious. ´No Whites Allowed´ the sign read in the window.
¨What?¨ Jackson thought to himself.
He went inside the diner and saw it was partly empty but all the people in it were black. A smile slid through Jackson´s face. He sat down and ordered a hamburger, a side of fries, and a strawberry milkshake. When his order came out he could´nt believe the smell once again. He gulped it all up in an instance. Once he was done he paid and left. He never once imagined he would have this much money in his pocket, not once in his life.
He spent the rest of the day teasing around Jake whenever he saw him. Surprisingly, it was quiet enough that Jackson met up with him everytime he would walk down the streets. As the sun was setting down, Jake saw Jackson coming towards him and they both made eye contact. Jake kept the same pase he had and turned the opposite direction while Jackson began to run towards him. Once Jackson turned the corner, Jake was gone. He began to look around confused on where Jake. Then out of nowhere Jackson saw Jake peep out of the corner wall near a videogame store he would go to everyday after school, wielding a rusted pipe looking angrily at Jackson.
¨What the f*** are you doing?¨
¨What does it look like I'm doing , you dumb piece of s***.¨
¨I'm here to f***ing, f*** you up and this is what you're f***ing doing?!¨ Jackson screamed at him.
Jake pulls a metal pipe out of the corner swinging in directly towards Jackson.
“Look, listen to me, no one has to get hurt, put the f***ing weapon down and we can talk, like Sophisticated people?¨
¨Sophisticated people? Ha. According to you, us white people are nothing but garbage, we're savages and we can't do anything and that you blacks could f***ing do whatever the f*** you want. And I had enough. You´re gonna wish that you never put you f***ing hands on me.¨
Jake swings the metal pipe hitting Jackson in the neck. Jackson screams with agonizing pain, Jackson falls to the floor.  A brick comes into Jackson view. He reaches for the brick. As Jack starts to swing again, Jackson swings the brick hitting Jack's face. Jake falls to the floor gushing out blood. Jackson doesn't think, doesn't feel, he just bashes Jakes face over and over again until Jake was unrecognizable. His thoughts were focused on all the names Jake has ever told him or his parents. All the hell he put him through.
Blood surrounding Jake´s head was all Jackson could focus on. His hands and the brick covered in pure blood. As he closes his eyes to feel the regret and shame, he opens his eyes to realize he was back in school.
Surrounded by the same type of white people who he thought he had left by making that wish. Surrounded by all the hate again and his old clothes. In his hand he held a piece of paper titled, ¨Missing.¨ His eyes widened as if he's just seen a ghost. As he crosses the street after school, he sees a black and yellow ribbon reading ´Crime Scene.´