The Sand Pounder

Jane looked over at the Katos’ house. Mr. and Mrs. Kato and Thomas were cleaning up glass below their broken front window.

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Kato. Hi, Thomas,” Jane called out.

The parents turned. Their faces appeared older than their ages, lined with wrinkles, and their mouths were turned down. Mr. Kato raised his hand slightly in acknowledgement.

Thomas turned abruptly toward her. His eyes were as dark as flint. His nostrils were flared, his lips curled back over his clenched teeth. Jane had never seen him look like that and it scared her.

Jane hopped down from her horse and led Star through the gate. “What happened to your window?” she asked.

Mrs. Kato burst into tears. Mr. Kato wrapped his arms around his wife and looked over at Jane. “Someone threw a brick through our window last night. There was a note wrapped around it,” Thomas said with a sneer.

Jane gasped. “Wh-what did the note say?” she stammered.

Mrs. Kato buried her face in her hands as Mr. Kato hugged her more tightly.

“It said, ‘Go back where you came from,’” Thomas said.

“Where you came from?” Jane said. “But you have always lived here.”

“Yes. That is true. But there is a lot of fear in the hearts of people. Ever since the attack on Pearl Harbor, all Japanese are suspected of cavorting with the enemy, even those of us who are life-long citizens,” Mr. Kato said as he continued to comfort his wife.