Friday Fictioneers: My Sin

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields who provides us with a photo prompt. Each week’s challenge is to write a 100-word story inspired by the photo.

PHOTO PROMPT © C.E. Ayr

I’m later than a dead pregnant woman on this one. Too soon? Too late? It’s always too soon to joke about dead pregnant women, asshole. Fair enough. I’m later than me everywhere I’ve ever gone. I blame the holiday. No, not Thanksgiving. My Thanksgiving plans were ruined by snow and road closures. I still owe $25,000 on that car. It’s staying safe in the garage. I’m talking about Black Friday Month. In addition to a much needed new car, I needed some appliances, a new bed that doesn’t hurt to sleep on, a new computer… I’ve spent the week shopping and researching and cleaning. In addition, there’s a dog in heat in the home and another with a bone, if you will, and a puppy who refuses to be house-trained. She peed on my bed two nights in a row. Of course, she’s also currently on my lap. What is it about cuteness that conquers all? My roommate’s a breeder. I would have much rather been in the Bay Area con mi familia.

My Sin

My skin is my sin.

I has to be. I didn’t do anything else wrong. I was walking home from school when the police pulled up and demanded to see my I.D.

I’m 13. I don’t have I.D.

They shoved me onto the car. One cop frisked me and held me while the other went through my backpack. Nothing illegal, so they released me.

How do I deal with this? Hate myself for my skin? Return the hatred? No. I hate the ignorance and pity the ignorant.

My skin is not a sin. Judging based on skin is a sin.

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My goddaughter, who is Black, Hispanic, and Original American, so dark-skinned, recently saw another Black kid get slammed to the ground and handcuffed without provocation. This is, of course, according to her. You know how kids don’t always get the whole story. However, given the recent news and the history of police brutality against those with dark skin, I don’t have a reason not to believe the story as she told it. So, it’s been on my mind a lot. I can’t believe humanity hasn’t moved passed judging people based on skin color yet. Maybe someday we’ll learn to focus on our commonalities instead of our differences.