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The ball arched high in the air, briefly eclipsing the sun as it slowed almost to a stop before heading downward again. Gaining speed as it rushed toward the screaming children below, It suddenly changes course as it smacks into a dusty brown head and jets right past the outstretched hands of the goalie and into the goal. Score. That was it, the winning goal of the double header.
"Too bad we lost." Thought Heather as she looked for her son, Thad, in the crowd of 10 year olds milling on the field. She was very tired after a long day. Getting Thad up and ready, grabbing a quick breakfast sandwich at the gas station, surviving the "urban combat" like drive into the city, finding a parking place close enough to the fields to avoid getting mugged on the way in, then sitting on the hot, uncomfortable benches for hours on end while trying to pay attention to what Thad was doing on the field. She loved every minute of it.
"This is the last time" she says to herself, with obvious regret in her voice. She wanted to get out of the park while the police were still there providing protection. One of them said they would provide escort to the highway if they were ready to go in the next 20 minutes. She loved the fact that the league played some games in the city and gave her son the chance to play against other teams, but it was getting scary for anyone to go to the city anymore. She and seven other moms on her team alone had refused anymore foray's into the city after today. It was just too dangerous. The looks that the locals gave them and the comments from the parents from the other teams were downright racist and threatening. She had no doubt that these same parents were the ones urging on if not outright participating in this so-called "Black Spring" that had been raging in the city's and in the close suburbs for the past several weeks.
The President's job's initiative fell flat last fall, spending more money and creating 0 jobs, giving money to the unions to pressure company's to hire more workers just emboldened them as they ratcheted up the rhetoric. The Tea Party's responded with calls for investigations and impeachment of the entire administration. The unions responded to this threat to their "cash cow" with violence. The Tea Party's offices were mobbed and looted, some member lists were recovered and members were attacked in their homes. Most went badly for the union thugs as flurries of lead were used to defend homes across America. The Justice Dept refused to prosecute any union member unless they were caught at the scene. The media blamed it all on the Tea Party for using racist words (trying to impeach the first half-black president is racist didn't you know). The results of the Debt deal were released and shocked most of America. Calling for enough spending cuts in the military to force us to bring most troops home and cut vast amounts of training. Cuts were imposed on Medicare, both in what was covered and how much the doctors were paid. And an immediate 10% reduction in "other" entitlement spending, no cost of living increase this year, and another 10% cut next year with no cost of living increase. Capital gains taxes increased and lots of loopholes were closed. Everyone faced the budget axe and no one was happy.
In the meantime, "flash mobs" were increasing at an exponential rate as word got around that you wouldn't be arrested unless you were caught red handed. Community leaders actually got up and told the hoodlums to leave their communities alone and hit the suburbs. That's what they did. The teachers unions gave instructions to teachers to give their students a pass if they were out "protesting" in the suburbs, even to go so far as coordinating with other classes and schools to have a "teachers in service" so the kids weren't counted as absent. SEIU wasn't exactly sitting this one out, any minority that was foreclosed on set off immediate protests at the bank that dared to demand money from borrowers. Forget about trying to repossess a house.
People were starting to band together to do simple things. Going tribal. Heather herself had organized trips to the supermarket with other mom's in the area. While her husband, Jason, went to neighborhood watch meetings, armed meetings. They distributed pictures of cars that belonged to homeowners and planned on how to respond if a flash mob appeared at one of their homes. They started to store food and water, looking up survival websites, and buying guns and ammo.
Very tribal.
"Yes", she thought, "this is definitely the last trip to the city," as she scanned the field. She spotted Thad and got his attention. Waving him over to her she said, "Thad, get a quick drink from the coaches table, grab me one while your at it, and then get your stuff. We need to get out of here."
"Hey Mom? Are we safe here?
"For the moment we are, but we need to get a move on."
Did she miss something? Thad usually isn't as in tune with his surroundings as I am. He is still at that stage that as long as he is with Mom or Dad he is OK. Thad ran over to Coach Doug's folding table and grabbed a Mountain Dew for him and a Diet Pepsi for his mom then started toward his pile of stuff on the bench. Heather was talking to another parent as she folded her towel and zipped up her tote and missed the first sign of trouble. In the distance, if she would have been looking, she would have seen lots of young people, gathering at the street corner several blocks away. The cops were aware though and took a keen interest in the gathering. In seconds two cruisers were at the corner and the three cops got out and engaged the youths in some quick conversation. This did not sit well with the crowd as all they wanted to see was police harassment and intimidation. The three cops got the hint and backed off down the street in the opposite direction as the field, hoping to draw them away from the soccer moms and children. This was about the time Heather looked up and understood the danger she was in. "10 seconds ago everything was fine!" she swore.
"Flashmob!" someone said as she started to run to her truck, Thad was about 20 feet behind and starting to run also. Hoping to get to the truck and unlock it before Thad reached the passenger side. They were in a bad way as they were in between the locals and the youths on the corner. The locals had seen what was going on and were starting to migrate toward the youths. Heather got to the truck and unlocked her door as the first of the locals passed her truck on the way to the disturbance on the corner. "Stupid white cracker..." one said as they passed. The speaker looked to be a woman in her 50's! She unlocked Thad's door and he clambered in slamming the door and grabbing his seat belt.
"Don't put it on Thad, get in the floorboard and stay there." Heather said loudly as she turned the ignition on and put the truck in reverse. Streams of local people were heading toward toward them from one side and youths were heading at them from the other side. It seamed like all of them were yelling and talking animatedly into their cellphones. Narrowly missing several scared soccer players she headed out of the park and pointed her truck toward the highway. In the rear view mirror she saw lots of police cars converging on the corner, but that wasn't where the action was today. The action was on the field, The color of the local teams jerseys just happened to be the same as the local gangs, yellow and black. And it was a wall of that color that washed over the few remaining spots of green and red jerseys that were left on the field. Heather could see men, adult men, beating and kicking children who were wearing green jerseys, she could see children in yellow and black, tearing through the bags at coach Doug's table like it was Christmas, she could see the parents of the opposing team blocking access to the cops, as if they had enough to do anything anyway. She stopped the truck and looked for Thad's friend, Steven. "There he is," she thought, as she located the car he belonged in speeding away. "OK, everyone from our street is safe. Lets get out of here Thad." She took off quickly and headed to the highway by herself. There would be no escort out of the city today.
"Thad, were you able to get me a soda? I need a drink really bad now."
"Yes mom but I wouldn't drink......."
"THAD! JUST GIVE ME THE SODA!!!" She yelled. Instantly regretting it, realizing just how close they had come to real injury or even death at the hands of the flashmob and the adrenalin was still in control of most of her actions. She told herself she would apologize when she got home. A hand slowly reached up from the huddled mass on the floorboard and handed her the soda. She took it with her right hand and put it in her lap. She slid her fingernail under the tab and pulled. SPLASH. The soda exploded in a shower of sticky spray, soaking the front of her shirt and thoroughly dosing the steering wheel, dash, ceiling, door, and seat. A little voice broke the silence,"You know Mom, I'm almost eleven, you should start to listen to me more." They both giggled as the tension left them both, and they drove the rest of the way home silently, wet, but silently.
Meanwhile, 7 young boys, 3 men and 9 women were hospitalized from the soccer field. All were wearing green and red.
Yes, very tribal indeed.
"Too bad we lost." Thought Heather as she looked for her son, Thad, in the crowd of 10 year olds milling on the field. She was very tired after a long day. Getting Thad up and ready, grabbing a quick breakfast sandwich at the gas station, surviving the "urban combat" like drive into the city, finding a parking place close enough to the fields to avoid getting mugged on the way in, then sitting on the hot, uncomfortable benches for hours on end while trying to pay attention to what Thad was doing on the field. She loved every minute of it.
"This is the last time" she says to herself, with obvious regret in her voice. She wanted to get out of the park while the police were still there providing protection. One of them said they would provide escort to the highway if they were ready to go in the next 20 minutes. She loved the fact that the league played some games in the city and gave her son the chance to play against other teams, but it was getting scary for anyone to go to the city anymore. She and seven other moms on her team alone had refused anymore foray's into the city after today. It was just too dangerous. The looks that the locals gave them and the comments from the parents from the other teams were downright racist and threatening. She had no doubt that these same parents were the ones urging on if not outright participating in this so-called "Black Spring" that had been raging in the city's and in the close suburbs for the past several weeks.
The President's job's initiative fell flat last fall, spending more money and creating 0 jobs, giving money to the unions to pressure company's to hire more workers just emboldened them as they ratcheted up the rhetoric. The Tea Party's responded with calls for investigations and impeachment of the entire administration. The unions responded to this threat to their "cash cow" with violence. The Tea Party's offices were mobbed and looted, some member lists were recovered and members were attacked in their homes. Most went badly for the union thugs as flurries of lead were used to defend homes across America. The Justice Dept refused to prosecute any union member unless they were caught at the scene. The media blamed it all on the Tea Party for using racist words (trying to impeach the first half-black president is racist didn't you know). The results of the Debt deal were released and shocked most of America. Calling for enough spending cuts in the military to force us to bring most troops home and cut vast amounts of training. Cuts were imposed on Medicare, both in what was covered and how much the doctors were paid. And an immediate 10% reduction in "other" entitlement spending, no cost of living increase this year, and another 10% cut next year with no cost of living increase. Capital gains taxes increased and lots of loopholes were closed. Everyone faced the budget axe and no one was happy.
In the meantime, "flash mobs" were increasing at an exponential rate as word got around that you wouldn't be arrested unless you were caught red handed. Community leaders actually got up and told the hoodlums to leave their communities alone and hit the suburbs. That's what they did. The teachers unions gave instructions to teachers to give their students a pass if they were out "protesting" in the suburbs, even to go so far as coordinating with other classes and schools to have a "teachers in service" so the kids weren't counted as absent. SEIU wasn't exactly sitting this one out, any minority that was foreclosed on set off immediate protests at the bank that dared to demand money from borrowers. Forget about trying to repossess a house.
People were starting to band together to do simple things. Going tribal. Heather herself had organized trips to the supermarket with other mom's in the area. While her husband, Jason, went to neighborhood watch meetings, armed meetings. They distributed pictures of cars that belonged to homeowners and planned on how to respond if a flash mob appeared at one of their homes. They started to store food and water, looking up survival websites, and buying guns and ammo.
Very tribal.
"Yes", she thought, "this is definitely the last trip to the city," as she scanned the field. She spotted Thad and got his attention. Waving him over to her she said, "Thad, get a quick drink from the coaches table, grab me one while your at it, and then get your stuff. We need to get out of here."
"Hey Mom? Are we safe here?
"For the moment we are, but we need to get a move on."
Did she miss something? Thad usually isn't as in tune with his surroundings as I am. He is still at that stage that as long as he is with Mom or Dad he is OK. Thad ran over to Coach Doug's folding table and grabbed a Mountain Dew for him and a Diet Pepsi for his mom then started toward his pile of stuff on the bench. Heather was talking to another parent as she folded her towel and zipped up her tote and missed the first sign of trouble. In the distance, if she would have been looking, she would have seen lots of young people, gathering at the street corner several blocks away. The cops were aware though and took a keen interest in the gathering. In seconds two cruisers were at the corner and the three cops got out and engaged the youths in some quick conversation. This did not sit well with the crowd as all they wanted to see was police harassment and intimidation. The three cops got the hint and backed off down the street in the opposite direction as the field, hoping to draw them away from the soccer moms and children. This was about the time Heather looked up and understood the danger she was in. "10 seconds ago everything was fine!" she swore.
"Flashmob!" someone said as she started to run to her truck, Thad was about 20 feet behind and starting to run also. Hoping to get to the truck and unlock it before Thad reached the passenger side. They were in a bad way as they were in between the locals and the youths on the corner. The locals had seen what was going on and were starting to migrate toward the youths. Heather got to the truck and unlocked her door as the first of the locals passed her truck on the way to the disturbance on the corner. "Stupid white cracker..." one said as they passed. The speaker looked to be a woman in her 50's! She unlocked Thad's door and he clambered in slamming the door and grabbing his seat belt.
"Don't put it on Thad, get in the floorboard and stay there." Heather said loudly as she turned the ignition on and put the truck in reverse. Streams of local people were heading toward toward them from one side and youths were heading at them from the other side. It seamed like all of them were yelling and talking animatedly into their cellphones. Narrowly missing several scared soccer players she headed out of the park and pointed her truck toward the highway. In the rear view mirror she saw lots of police cars converging on the corner, but that wasn't where the action was today. The action was on the field, The color of the local teams jerseys just happened to be the same as the local gangs, yellow and black. And it was a wall of that color that washed over the few remaining spots of green and red jerseys that were left on the field. Heather could see men, adult men, beating and kicking children who were wearing green jerseys, she could see children in yellow and black, tearing through the bags at coach Doug's table like it was Christmas, she could see the parents of the opposing team blocking access to the cops, as if they had enough to do anything anyway. She stopped the truck and looked for Thad's friend, Steven. "There he is," she thought, as she located the car he belonged in speeding away. "OK, everyone from our street is safe. Lets get out of here Thad." She took off quickly and headed to the highway by herself. There would be no escort out of the city today.
"Thad, were you able to get me a soda? I need a drink really bad now."
"Yes mom but I wouldn't drink......."
"THAD! JUST GIVE ME THE SODA!!!" She yelled. Instantly regretting it, realizing just how close they had come to real injury or even death at the hands of the flashmob and the adrenalin was still in control of most of her actions. She told herself she would apologize when she got home. A hand slowly reached up from the huddled mass on the floorboard and handed her the soda. She took it with her right hand and put it in her lap. She slid her fingernail under the tab and pulled. SPLASH. The soda exploded in a shower of sticky spray, soaking the front of her shirt and thoroughly dosing the steering wheel, dash, ceiling, door, and seat. A little voice broke the silence,"You know Mom, I'm almost eleven, you should start to listen to me more." They both giggled as the tension left them both, and they drove the rest of the way home silently, wet, but silently.
Meanwhile, 7 young boys, 3 men and 9 women were hospitalized from the soccer field. All were wearing green and red.
Yes, very tribal indeed.
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