This is what happened to me yesterday. My classmates were out on the playground behind school and getting ready to divide up to make teams for a soccer game. I was a little late, but I ran up to the group. I waited to be chosen to play. Each captain was choosing someone from the kids standing around. The Blue captain called John to be their last player. The Red team needed more players.
I was the only one not chosen. “I can play,” I said.
“Buddy, I’m sorry, but you are too small. We don’t want you on our team,” said Joe, the leader. “We want someone bigger and faster,”
I just stood there, not sure what to do next. Should I go away or just stand there and watch. I was embarrassed. Another big boy, Bob, said, “Hey Joe, don’t be mean. Why did you say that?”
Joe turned his back on me and looked at Bob. “What, Bob? Do you want to lose? Let’s wait for someone else. I’m sorry. That is just the way it is.”
They started to go out on the field, still needing more players. I could see Bob and Joe talking. I didn’t move. Then Bob came running back to me. “Come on, Buddy, let’s see what you can do.”
I got to play forward. I know the rules of the game. I’ve played a lot and I made some good passes. I am a fast runner.
Bob is so ‘cool’.
(*Soccer is called ‘football’ in other parts of the world.)
Activities
A. What happened here? Can you summarize the problem? Has anything like this ever happened to you or someone you know. Tell your group about it.
Role Play
Buddy, Joe, Bob: Create the dialog for their discussion.
Create the scene of Buddy telling his father about what happened.
Joe, Bob. Create the dialog of their conversation out on the field.
C. Writing
1. Write a sequel to this; what happens the next day on the soccer field
2. Write a letter to Joe about being more tolerant of people different from him.
3. Write a letter from Buddy to Bob thanking him.
