Usual but unusual

She is just a child...

Locking the door in front of her swiftly, Emma arrived home with great satisfaction. On her tender forehead that was glowing softly radiant due to the sunlight in the room, there was not just sweat, but tensions that were crawling over like a net and constantly consuming her energy like an uncontrollable vacuum cleaner. She was greeted with the peace and the cool air in the room while her bag was so naturally put to its own spot without the action being noticed by and processed through her consciousness. After depleting herself through conversation and forced concentration on school work, the rest of her day was spent within her own bubble. Subsequently, she lied down on the bed unwittingly and all the knots of anxiety seemed to loosen in that instant. She yawned and made herself comfortable by stretching out her arms and legs. Gently, her eyes were shut as if they have not got a chance to do so for a millennium. Picturing that she was supported by clouds under her, she thought she was flowing on the back of the wind and carefully listened to every little sound she was able to capture. She could hear birds chirping and together with other sounds of nature, a melody was composed. Her ears were pleased and her body was healed.

Fixed her eyes on the ceiling and images of what she has been through today were flashing through her mind like a movie projector was replaying. The day has been the same as usual but she was certainly feeling a bit off as that enthusiastic girl has faded out from the crowd. It could not be the weather, because the weather today was rather sunny and the fluffy cotton candy-like clouds were definitely her favourites. While the playing back of the 'film' was projecting in her overwhelming mind, all her attention seemed to be placed on one freeze frame. A child, more precisely, a little girl, who is around 3 or 4, and was in her mommy's arms making the racist eye gesture. Somehow, the girl's eyes and the hands were weirdly bleached out from Emma's memories because it could not make sense to her that an supposedly innocent child would do such an outrageous act, which startled herself as well.

Trying to recall the scene back, Emma remembered that she did not expect to experience it at all as some seconds ago she was appreciating the tenderness of the way the girl embraced her teddy bear. At a flick of an eye, the smile of that teddy bear turned into a sarcastic mocking face that triggered the eruption of the sleeping volcano inside Emma. What actually got on her nerves was not the gesture but the fact that a only 3 years old child knows how to carry out a racial bullying. What does a 3 years old know about racism? Where did she learn the gesture from? Under the mask, Emma's lips were pressed tightly together like a clasp that prevented her from venting out her thoughts... Her pupils widened in disbelief, at the same time, she could hardly force out proper words from her throat. Speechless. When she was eventually able to process, all she could do was to sigh in despair and shake her head. Only hearing she repeated 'It's not your job to like me, it's mine', Emma continued her way to school while putting on a bright smile to face the new day ahead of her. Exciting yet challenging.