I remember thinking to myself, "Stand up for your rights!" Then, Vroom! The tank's engine startled me from my thoughts. Stand firmly with both feet planted on the floor, a bag in each hand. Those bags carried my lunch and food for the other students. We never ate the food.
The news reports are beginning to flash across the TV screen in the cold, dark hospital room.
"The government has responded to the students' actions with military tanks and weapons," I hear the astounded anchorwoman report. The military tanks, ughh, why did they insist on violence?!? I don't understand. I hear the thud of a fist on the door.
"Come in," I reply weakly. I am surprised by the fragility of my own voice.
"Ehem," the voice at the door sounds. "You have a visitor."
A large man in a military uniform stands at the door. He walks in with his head hung low. juicy detail... What does he want? They are the ones that don't give us our rights, then brutally attack us. Would he like to inflict some verbal abuse now?!? ... I notice a hint of a tourtured look in his eyes. My frown relaxes some.
"The government has responded to the students' actions with military tanks and weapons," I hear the astounded anchorwoman report. The military tanks, ughh, why did they insist on violence?!? I don't understand. I hear the thud of a fist on the door.
"Come in," I reply weakly. I am surprised by the fragility of my own voice.
"Ehem," the voice at the door sounds. "You have a visitor."
A large man in a military uniform stands at the door. He walks in with his head hung low. juicy detail... What does he want? They are the ones that don't give us our rights, then brutally attack us. Would he like to inflict some verbal abuse now?!? ... I notice a hint of a tourtured look in his eyes. My frown relaxes some.
"I really didn't want to harm anyone," he begins to say. "But I had orders!" he exclaims in frustration. "I kept thinking to myself, he's just a kid."
I rattled the thoughts in my head, attempting to make sense of what this guy was saying. Was he, hmmm, apologizing? Certainly, that couldn't be the answer.
Beep, beep, beep...
The beeping of the monitors keeping my body stable devoured the awkward silence.
He ended the silence quickly, "I'm sorry for whatever harm my fellow military officers may have inflicted. I wanted to let you know I did not participate. After seeing you face-to-face, it was a different story. I saw a person."
The man then briskly exited the room. Whoosh! The door slammed behind him.
He was the tanker! The tanker that I boldly stood in front of as the parade of noisy tanks rolled down the streets. He tried to escape past me, but I bounded in front of the tank with his every move. the way of my civil rights. Yet, he had come to me, come to my hospital room and apologized. Huh! I would've never suspected that kind of a person in that tank. After dismounting the tank, I felt defeated. The cool breeze and rustling of the tree leaves signified that.
Yes, I now have physical scars and emotional scars. However, this one military man, this one military man that did not destroy unarmed students, gave me hope. This was a small victory.
I rattled the thoughts in my head, attempting to make sense of what this guy was saying. Was he, hmmm, apologizing? Certainly, that couldn't be the answer.
Beep, beep, beep...
The beeping of the monitors keeping my body stable devoured the awkward silence.
He ended the silence quickly, "I'm sorry for whatever harm my fellow military officers may have inflicted. I wanted to let you know I did not participate. After seeing you face-to-face, it was a different story. I saw a person."
The man then briskly exited the room. Whoosh! The door slammed behind him.
He was the tanker! The tanker that I boldly stood in front of as the parade of noisy tanks rolled down the streets. He tried to escape past me, but I bounded in front of the tank with his every move. the way of my civil rights. Yet, he had come to me, come to my hospital room and apologized. Huh! I would've never suspected that kind of a person in that tank. After dismounting the tank, I felt defeated. The cool breeze and rustling of the tree leaves signified that.
Yes, I now have physical scars and emotional scars. However, this one military man, this one military man that did not destroy unarmed students, gave me hope. This was a small victory.
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