Hogsboro High is in the middle of a white, relatively rural area of Greater Gomorrah. This year the school has been accepting students from a wider area, including students from where I grew up. These students are (unfairly) stereotyped as 1) East Indian and 2) trouble.

So what?

Teenagers travel in packs. This is the basic mode of transportation for the 12-19 set. I did. You did. We could call this roving, many-legged beast a snarl of teenagers, or a surly of teenagers. White kids do it. And when there are only 20 or so black (or Indian) kids in a school of 1000 whites, you better believe that these kids of colour are going to feel a trifle defensive, and move in colour-coded packs.

So what?

There was a fight today, just off school grounds. "Everybody" says it's because the Indian kids are swarming little kids.

So what?

In the staff lounge, the teachers asked each other when "the first race riot" started. In the staff lounge, one (female) teacher talked about approaching a surly of Indian teens, and another (male) staff member grimly joked that it was lucky that she hadn't been mugged for her jewellery.

So what?

Today I heard a great many students I respect start sentences with the phrase, "I don't want to be racist, but..."

So what?

I find the name Savtaj a lot easier to spell than Kaileigh/Cailie/Kayley/etc. I find the sight of roving, colour-coded surlies perfectly normal, even reassuring, as it means that not much has changed since my youth. I find every teen intimidating, until you look into their eyes and smile.

Race wars my ass. The race was in your head. You lost.

Mom came by the school after class with a bouquet of orange roses and other orange blossoms. I feel extremely loved.

2 years ago today: lonely. not much has changed.