ISALC: ESL 411: College Prep. Reading/Writing - Spring 1998
Diversity and Civil Rights in the U.S.

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Disappointments

by

Dai Ichikawa
At the moment, there was no idea in my mind. Was I frightened? Was I astonished? Was I confused? No, I just remember that I was running and escaping from the men. I didn't look around, I just looked straight ahead. In other words, I could not afford to worry about myself. I just had to keep running without thinking. The savanna where I used to walk every day seemed to be a strange place. Although I broke into a sweat on my forehead, I could not afford to wipe my sweat. I was hurrying very much, but I felt myself like a hare, and they were like cheetahs. I had never felt that I could not run fast before. There was no time to look back to check the distance from the men. I could hear their breathing was getting louder and louder behind me. I just looked straight ahead.

In the morning, the world was still very fresh since I had just become an adult man of our tribe. Birds were singing happily and freely. In my mind, the opportunity which I wanted, to try to be a man like my father, was great. After the manhood training, I loved my family and my village much more than ever. Then, on that day, I went to find a good piece of wood to make a musical instrument for my brother. When I left my beloved village, I did not think that the scene of my village would become the last impression of home for me in my life. It was just the ordinary scene of my village. However, the sound of footsteps of grief was getting closer to me.

I felt as if the sand of the savanna was trying to grasp my ankles. I couldn't run as fast as I wanted. I was getting out of breath, and my arms were like sticks. Finally, I fell on my face. I got sand all over my body, even on my face, but there was no time to care about that. When I saw the slave catchers running toward me from my front, suddenly, I felt time would stop. I was totally confused and I could not figure out what was going on. I tried to find a way to escape, but there were no longer any way to escape, and then I was encircled by the men. I could not move at all at that time. Although I felt the bad-tasting sand in my mouth, I clenched my teeth, then I glared at them. I tried to fight with them, but before I could fight, it had already come to an end. Like a gale, they caught and chained me very fast . I could not understand what had happened, it was as if by magic. When I realized that I could not stir from my chains, disappointment filled my mind. The scene of my village, faces of my parents and friends, and their laughing voices gradually disappeared from my heart. I felt that time had just stopped forever. I was shrieking unconsciously; all my grief surrounded me, but nothing changed. Finally, I broke down from disappointment. The sand of the savanna was very soft. Though I felt that the sand could be understanding my grief, it did not say anything.

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Updated: 3/14/98