THE RACIST CHEST PLAYER

It was a cool, and sunny day in Central Park. I was planning a first date for the girl I had a crush on. She agreed to meet me at 12 pm by the train station. I had made some homemade pastrami and avocado sandwiches on sourdough bread...toasted! I also prepared some fresh lemon - limeade and put it in the cooler. I bought a big bag of 99 cent chips to finish off my chef prep. I was 14 years old.

She appeared 10 minutes late walking up the stairs of the train station. She looked like an angel, I couldn't remember what South American country she was from but she embodied all of the women I thought were beautiful. Her complexion was cinnamon brown, her hair was like pure black spaghetti and her eyes were shining like that of Xena warrior princess. She said hello, I said hey... I almost thought you weren't coming. She spoke of a scuffle on the train that made her late, but I barely paid attention, I just wanted to have our date. "So I prepared us a nice little picnic in the park, so we can talk and get to know each other, alright" I said. She looked at me and smiled "How cool, lets do it" she replied.

We scurried through the park, two young teenagers enjoying the summer. We walked and talked. Pass the little mountains, pass the swings, pass the joggers, pass the cops, pass the kiddie park, until we got into the chess area. "Wow look at that those guys are playing chess, I love that game!'" she yelped! "Really do you know how to play?" I answered. " No not at all I just think that it's for geniuses and really complicated" she said. " Wow that is awesome!" I smirked.... "because I play and I was the best in my school!" She said she didn't believe me so I had to prove her wrong. I scanned the area for a game and I finally saw an old man sitting by himself with a game already set up. This is my lucky day I thought. I could definitely whip this guy! " Ok I'll show you, Lets ask this guy over there for a game." I uttered. I rushed to his table with her hand in my left hand and my cooler with sandwiches and juice in the right. " Hi sir how about a game?" I asked.

" You look pretty young there fella are you sure you understand how to play?" he grinned. " Yes of course, I am the best in my school!" I laughed. He invited me to sit and started setting the pieces but had an unusual grin on his face the whole time. At this moment I was a happy young kid, trying to impress my girl with my brains, usually the girls were only impressed with my skills at football or baseball. " Ok fella like I said do you really understand how this game works?" he started.. "Yes lets go." I replied.

"Great!" he said. "Then you understand that the White piece moves first because white people rule the world" he laughed as he moved his pawn to the middle. I looked at my girl with a smile and a hidden message that said Who is this guy? He then followed up with "Now the dark pieces can go because they go after white people. Wow I thought.. this guy must have lived during the Civil war. " I know that when I look around this park, all of the wonderful trees are coming out of the ground which is my complexion! I stated heartily back. He grinned lightly like he liked my response, then he completely destroyed me at the game. " Don't worry about it fella, the white pieces always win we invented everything, even this game". I was hurt this guy beat me so easily and I had no wise quip or wit to match him. I almost got mad until I looked over at my girl who had a smile on her face. I grabbed my stuff and almost ran out of there. " Well thanks for the good game" I said while leaving. " Anytime fella, I hoped you learned and really understand the game now", he replied with that same grin on his face.

I walked quickly and quietly to the picnic area I picked out. She was walking a little behind me. " Wow this is so nice" she said as I put down the blanket I had in my backpack. " Wait until you see what I made for us." I replied. We sat down on nice soft grass with a nice cotton blanket. I pulled out my container of juice, chips, and ziplocked sandwiches. I was embarrassed that I loss to that guy and could not start a conversation with her. We sat in silence as I placed the food for us. We had two sandwiches each. The silence seemed like forever. " Hey I like how you told that guy about the brown complexion, he was so racist. Look at this grass we sitting on it does grow from the brown dirt. You sure told him and he was like 98 years old how on earth were you to beat him." she said while giggling. I was shocked I felt like I got owned by that guy, but with that remark she made me feel a lot better. Then I looked into her beautiful eyes and I slowly started to forget about that guy. Then I took a bite of the toasted sourdough bread and as the avocado oozed into my mouth I totally forgot about that guy. We ate and talked for hours in the park . It was the day I got my first kiss.