A man dressed in blue jeans and a baseball cap, as American as apple pie, stood watching the reservoir. The man, standing in silence, was observing all the happenings of the daily operations. This was a daily habit for him because he lived in a loft across the street from the main facility of the reservoir with his friend who also was a refugee from their native land. The two had been displaced from their homeland long enough to lose their original accents as to be unnoticed as immigrants.

The man had looked every day for a job at the reservoir, for the original funds afforded to them from their homeland have almost completely dissipated. The man must get the job he needs soon, or otherwise their entire struggle would be in vain.

The man’s friend was expecting a son. The man knew that in order for his friend’s son to live a happy life he would have to get this job, in order to make his destiny complete. For once his destiny was complete, he would then, and only then, know that a spot in heaven would be assured to him.

Finally, the day that the man anticipated came to be. The man picked up the newspaper and read the classifieds. A security position was available for the reservoir. This was perfect for the man because it gave him the freedom to go anywhere that he chose in the plant. First, however, he knew that he must get the job before he could go anywhere in the plant.

The man walked into the tailors knowing that he was not as rich as he once use to be and that the money he had must serve the purpose for which he came. The man could tell walking into the store that the clerk behind the counter was full of hate towards him. This did not bother the man for he felt hate towards a person such as this also. This is the kind of man that makes him think that some men are happier with death than they could ever be in life. Both of the men went through the transaction knowing how each other felt without a word being spoken, and the man felt better knowing that he would never have to deal with this man ever again.

Walking into the main office in the reception area of the reservoir’s plant, he felt the eyes of the other people peering into him as he went to hand in his resume. The man handed his resume to the receptionist trying not to show his obvious nervousness. As the receptionist took the paper with a smile as fake as the plants that sat on her desk; he did nothing but give a little grin and a nervous laugh.

After waiting for an hour and seeing all the other candidates waiting in the reception area, the man knew that his turn to see the boss was next. With nothing more then a gesture, the boss summoned the man into the room. Sitting silently, reading over the man’s resume, the boss looked at him and asked, in the usual pompous manor that was typical of American bosses, about the past jobs written on the documentation. With well-rehearsed answers, the man easily answered all questions with the grace of a well-trained actor. With no more questions to be answered the man left the office of the boss with a smile on his face. This was such a smile that could not be broken by the glares of the men waiting in the room outside.

Waiting in the man’s current home, he was nervous, waiting for his last chance to realize his destiny and to get the job that he desperately needed. Suddenly, when the phone rang, the man almost found himself too nervous to answer, until he remembered what he had at stake and who he would be disappointing if he did not answer. Upon picking up the phone, the man immediately recognized that the secretary who took the resume originally at the interview was on the other end of the phone. The women with apathy in her voice told the man of his new position as a security guard. The man had such ecstasy in his heart, for he knew his mission was to soon be complete.

On the first day of his new position the man did not want to risk anything. He knew that it was better just to watch the happenings of the plant before he tried to do anything. For many weeks and now turning to months, the man knew more and more about the plant and knew that the time was soon that he will be able to do what he wanted to do.

This day was to be a special day. This day the man worked in the late afternoon shift where fewer people worked then in his normal daytime hours. This day the man had a small container in his lunch. A container that he nervously waited to open, but knew that to open it too soon would be a mistake. As the day went on, the man felt the twinge in his stomach. The sudden feeling that he could not wait any longer and he must go do something to relinquish this feeling flowed over him.

As the man went toward the reservoir the crimson sky seemed to have opened in one spot where white light shot down next to the water. The man sat on the ledge where he could clearly see his loft. Reaching into his bag he finally knew how to fill this hunger in his soul and clear his way to heaven. The man opened a container and slowly drank the soup from the container he had purchased. While drinking his soup, he realized his life had finally become complete. As he thought this he saw out of the corner of his eye his friend, to be more specific his girlfriend, whom was pregnant with his first son. The man opened his special container, which held the ring that would merge his soul with that of his girlfriend’s and become complete. Now you can see what a clouded mind can make a person think when prejudice is involved.

by CG age 17