The Cliques. Begin at Recess Black And White By Susan Connelly by Shauna Whittier A death-like calm covered the starless night. A flash of bright, yellow fire erupted across the sky, accompanied by continuous rounds of crossfire. Sergeant Bob Tolman, fixed in his crouched position, shifted crampéd legs slowly. His expressionless eyes moved slowly around the trench. A chilling, breeze brushed against his austere face. Slowly, tears rolled down his dirtsmeared cheeks, out of water-filled eyes. Motionless he stared at the limp black body beside him. Angrily, he gripped Sergeant Harold Bond's 1 ieee Army dog tag. Warm blood oozed between his giant fingers. Passion swept over him as he longed for his friend. Harold was his best friend in Viet Nam. Five minutes before they’d been laughing as they dodged flying bullets. Many an experience he’d shared with his black friend, never to be, forgotten. te ' He wept bitterily. Funny, how back home over two-thousand miles away Bobis mom is , taking a rifle-shooting course in Chicago with numerous other housewives. Her target - - - black silhouettes. Funny, how in Harlem, Harolds’ brother’s are enrolled in a similiar class. Their target - - - white housewives. Mr. Davis, the principal, opened the door and pushed slightl Junk’s shoulder with his large hand. Nancy senbed cebaee es ae. and Mr. Davis followed her. A woman with flabby freckled arms and 4 round face looked at Mr. Davis thén at Nancy from behind her desk across the room. She stood up immediately, and Nancy looked at the woman’s legs below the bottom of her dark print dress. Her heavily meshed hose fit tightly around her calves and bagged at her thick ankles. She walked toward Nancy, and the heavy heels of her black round-toed shoes clomped. The shoes stopped. Nancy smelled the strong sweet smell of perfume. She looked up at Mr. Davis as he said, “We have a new student for you, Mrs. Murray.” His white teeth shined as he looked down at Nancy and smiled. Nancy looked down. Scuff marks made the squares of brown and orange tile look dull and old. It didn’t even shine in the places where sun streamed through the windows and made oblong sun-patches. Mr. Davis went on. “Her name is Nancy Junk, and she’s just moved here from California.” Nancy never thought her last name had sounded any different from anyone else’s last name — until now. Heer face grew hot as whispered giggles sounded throughout the room, and someone kept repeating the name Junk sarcastically under his breath. She looked at the floor steadily and felt Mr. Davis step behind her and put both his hands on both of her shoulders. “Nancy was president of her fourth grade class in California, and she could probably tell all of you some very interesting things.” The room buzzed. “Yes,” said Mrs. Murray, “and I’m sure all the boys will like her pretty blonde curls and green eyes also.” She smiled a big smile and giggles filled the room. Nancy’s face grew very hot again. iy The room quieted and Mrs. Murray smiled warmly at Nancy. “You may take the seat in the back of this row, Nancy.” She gestured with her eyes and head movement to the row in front of her. She looked at the principal. “Thank you, Mr. Davis.” “You’re welcome, Mrs. Murray.” _ Nancy heard the door open slowly then bang shut as she started walking down the aisle. Her heavy red shoes hit the tile with sharp clicking noises. The room was quiet except for the constant clicking which seemed to grow louder with évery step. Looking on both sides of the aisle, she saw only the small piercing eyes that moved with her every step. She grasped each side of her skirt with her hands to wipe off the stickiness. Finally she saw the empty desk at the end of the row. She turned and slid quickly onto the chair. It scooted on the floor and screeched. A few rude little heads turned around, and the same piercing eyes looked at her. _ Two girls who sat on the next row, one and two seats in front of her, still looked after everyone else had turned around. One girl had a blonde pony tail that hung to the top of the back of her chair. The other girl had Funny, how these and white boys, two miles away from home to become likely have been bitter enemies. black, friends, when to go thousands have they would at home al el of most HIS WORLD LI, holds a stick with chubby hand and makes ran winding road ot ane within the box. The and city grow country and Nearby, his pail stand to bake grows the sand t burns his head. n sun. hot. of water helps him build The city shops and barns on countryside. Le A\nd places plastic people ir the field, others on the walkways when And tells him that his lunch tle leaves his Be back again; Then through To take side by side. his mother calls him From Then away little world and the is getting and ambles cold, says he may on t ward night the summer the buildings his play home. showers come one by one. 8 etty Saunders a 26 27