sometime in 1995 . . .
magic prejudice
I was on a church-related trip to another state with a large group of high school-aged youth. I didn't know anyone in the group very well, but recognized many from school. we were all staying in a huge hotel, which was furnished very nicely. more than a day had passed since we had arrived, but it had been night for our entire stay. within the hotel was a Taco Bell restaurant, and I ended up working there. I was stationed at the drive-thru window.
two girls about my age drove up to place an order, and something about them made me nervous. I couldn't tell what it was. one of them wanted a bottled drink from a cabinet behind me, so I started naming off the beverages we had. I noticed that one of the bottles was full of jalapeno peppers. The girl told me that she wanted that one. I became more nervous at that, and stammered "oh, now I guess you're going to kill me." She nodded and began to climb out of the car through the window after me.
the scene changed, and the two girls were seated at a table along with their younger brother. I now knew that all three of them could use magic. The younger brother was immersing his hands in a bowl of sauce, and pulling out handfuls of marbles. I started to ask him if he could make money materialize the same way when we were interrupted by a large group of kids entering the restaurant. many of their parents were with them. everyone in the group was angry at the three who could use magic.
I turned back to the boy, and he told me he would like a burrito. I punched it into the register, but did not have a chance to make it due to commotion in the restaurant. Many of the group were saying things like "we're going home." "we can't be here if
they are." "we're going to get them."
everyone began moving toward a staircase leading down. they all kept their distance from the three at the table. I decided to be a friend to them, partly because I had come to like them, and partly dso they would not kill me. I said to the boy, "well, I guess you never got your burrito." He reassured me that because I had punched it into the register, it was somehow as if he had eaten it. A noise from outside made us get up and look.
we went out onto a very large second-story balcony, and saw a large group of people--possibly the same ones who had been in the restaurant--congregated outside a small store that was in one corner of the balcony. they had a large log and were planning to use it to ram either the store or the storekeeper.
suddenly, all attention was focused on a woman in the distance on the ground. she was very overweight, and was running toward the scene. she moved as fast as a car, and it seemed that all I could see was her face zooming in.
then I was walking through a department store with several members of my family, and we passed a friend of mine, who I hadn't realized worked there. then I was back in the hotel, in a rented room. I was with the three magic users. we were just sitting around, and I was talking to another friend on the phone.
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