Chapter 1
The Pledge
La Fretra elementary school, Mrs. Mallet’s third grade class, Glendora California 1957.
All the children are starting their school day by standing facing the American flag with one hand by their sides and one hand on their hearts. Mrs. Mallet an attractive thirty five year old with thick black hair and glasses turns and faces the class.
With a stern look she starts the pledge. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of…” The whole class chimes in. All the children except for Keith. Keith stands there, with both arms by his side and says nothing. He has kind of a frown on his face as rest of the kids go through the motions of saluting the flag. The pledge is over and all the children sit back down at their desks. Mrs. Mallet turns from facing the flag. “Class before we start our class today we will be having Susan’s birthday party, who would like to help with the cake and ice cream?” The kids throw up their hands with excitement. Keith squirms in his set and says nothing. Mrs. Mallet has a big smile on her face as she looks Keith’s way. Keith would you like to be excused from the birthday party?
Keith nods his head, as if to say yes. He stands up from his chair. Mrs. Mallet “Then... you may leave and set in the hallway until we are done. I will come and get you when the fun is over.”
Mrs. Mallet really doesn’t like Keith. Him, or his whack job of mother or their stupid religion. Her husband fought in the war and got half his leg blown off on Iwo Jima, so people like Keith and his mother could enjoy religious freedom in this country. How dare he stand there and not respect the flag that gave them that freedom! “The little shit.” She thought to herself. She was really happy he couldn’t be at Susan’s birthday party. It was fun to see the little bastard suffer.
Keith walks to the classroom door and turns to look at the birthday cake on the teacher’s desk. He then turns to see many of kids in the classroom with their eyes on him as he walks out the door. Keith walks a few steps and sits down on concrete walkway next to the classroom door. After a minute he can hear through the door the noise of the birthday party going on inside the classroom and finally the happy birthday song for Susan. Keith has a tear in his eye. Twenty minutes later Mrs. Mallet opens the door and steps in the hallway.
“Keith we’re done now you may come back in.” Keith stands up and walks back into the classroom. Many kids look at Keith as he walks back into the classroom. Kids are walking up to a waste paper basket and throwing their used papers plates away. Keith looks over to where the birthday cake was to see a pile of crumbs. Susan is licking her spoon with the pink frosting on it. She looks at Keith and sticks her tongue out at him. Keith sheepishly walks back to his seat and sits down.
“Alright kids everyone get back to your seats. Today we are going to talk about the greatest man in American history... George Washington and we going to talk about how the United States of America is the greatest country in the World.”
Keith looks up at the clock on the wall, still two hours more before recess. The bell finally rings and the kids jump out of seats to get their lunch boxes.
Keith sits on the end of the table by himself and eats his baloney sandwich in the cafeteria. Sometimes kids will sit with him but mostly he sits by himself. He thinks about what his mother told him. “Keith, it’s better to be lonely, then be in bad company.”
A few minutes later he is in the school yard, watching two boys playing tether ball. Susan and another girl walk up to Keith. “So why wouldn’t you come to my birthday party Keith? You’re weird!” I’m not weird it’s my religion.” Keith fires back.
Susan smiles. “Oh Really? Then your religion is weird.”
“It’s not weird. You’re be sorry for saying that one day!”
“Oh really. Well, I think your religion is stupid and you are stupid too.”
Keith turns and walks away.
The girls follow him, announcing “Keith’s religion is stupid. Keith’s religion is stupid!”
