Life As A Nigerian Kid (Short Story)

Blackie

Being a Nigerian , I'm Dark skinned . No, not all Nigerians are dark skinned. I hated being dark skinned when I was younger. Moving up from Elementary school the nickname African booty scratcher had ceased and a new name had formed. "Blackie." Being Dark and African aren't two things I was proud of. Outside of school at grocery stores and all other places , I was being called "pretty, gorgeous, etc" but inside school I was called Black and ugly. My sister would always say "Anurife, you are beautiful no matter what" but somehow I just couldn't see it. I was becoming more mean and rigid towards everyone. Middle school was almost harsher than elementary. I didn't have the name branded clothes everyone wore. I wore other clothes that are very much popular today. I started trends in my middle school that I hadn't really recognized because of what I was going through. I made good friends that actually loved me and called me beautiful. My friends were so great that for my birthday in the 6th grade they made a big surprise gift. Every thing was home made. I got cards, teddy bears, candy etc. I still have those gifts till this very day, because they meant so much to me. I had very long hair but I was getting relaxers.  In the 7th grade I didn't want relaxers anymore so I decided to go natural, I hadn't planned on cutting my hair. Soon enough after 7th grade , I cut my hair on accident. I had individual twists and I was trying to take them out so I could wash it. Anyone who gets individuals would understand the long process of taking it down. So I began cutting it, not really paying attention to my new growth and I cut most of my long hair. It was so short, I was so ashamed , and I just wanted to crawl into a corner. I was already being called black, ugly, and African. I didn't want to be called bald too ! I was frustrated, I tried to get my mom to do my hair again but she didn't have time. I didn't want to go to school, I just wanted to stay in the comfort of my own home. I went to school and I was being called bald, something I tried to avoid.  Then my mom started doing my hair more often, but the styles were so ugly. They were either big fat cornrows or little skinny cornrows. Much like "doo-doo braids." They used to laugh everyday at my hair. I somehow got through it. My teachers, would say " Rebekah I love your hair." You know, the interesting parts of this short story is all the hair styles, clothing, shoes, I wore back then is what is trending now. Girls are getting big cornrows, and are wearing platform shoes. Looking back, I was a trend setter that was too blinded by everyone else . Being dark was what I hated. I wanted to be light skinned so bad that I tried bleaching my skin. I was almost there, when my mom noticed my skin complexion getting a tad bit lighter. She scolded me, not knowing what I was going through and why I was bleaching. She didn't understand and I could never make her understand. It was just a task I was not ready to take up. Anyway, I stopped using the creams, and I stayed inside when the sun was out. I couldn't risk getting darker than what I already was. I just couldn't . To top things off, I didn't have the newest androids that they had. I tried convincing my parents to get me a phone. I tried, but they wouldn't budge. Technology was taking over the schools, you needed your phone for classwork assignments. A phone I didn't have, I had to share. Soon I had gotten a phone, it was a good one. I could text, call, and take pictures. But it got cut off and I couldn't use it anymore. I got made fun of for that too ! I was just jealous of everyone and everything that I did not have. Not knowing that people were jealous of me. I was too blinded by the bullying that I hadn't noticed that I was setting trends that people would soon follow.