Get your kicks

In the city, when the stores close for the day metal grates are brought down over the glass windows for security. Today as I was leaving the gym, I noticed three boys huddled up against one of these metal barriers yelling and kicking at something.

I almost reached for my cell phone, assuming a helpless kid was being jumped, but before I could two of the boys jumped back and I saw that no one was there. One boy was left still kicking violently, he jumped back and began to stomp when I realized... they were killing a rat.

Time Stamp

As I walked along 125th street today I made my way through the vendors, shoppers, native new yorkers and tourists that flock to Harlem daily. I'm not sure which category the long haired girl with pale skin fell into, but as she passed through the crowd she flipped her hair over her shoulder she said,

"I wish I could be black for an hour"

An older black woman whipped her head around and her eyes met mine, "Did you hear what she just said? Did you hear what she just said?" she asked incredulously"

While the woman seemed offened at the statement, I remained perplexed by the idea of being black for "an hour". Could a person experience what its really like to be a different race, gender, sexual orientation or class in one hour?

Maybe that's why she put a time stamp on it.