A New Kid On the Block

So this is Fremont, California Circa nineteen sixty-nine, Nice and bit of a tight-knit Neighborhood, that is fine. I am a honey tanned Hawaiian In a nearly all white community, With the only swimming pool Thinks there is another opportunity. Learned later that ours was it For this part of the town, And that would be none for the Bunch of kids that I hang around. Being the only kid of a different color Other than those in this new school, Though that did not bother me so Except for a gang whose leader is a fool. My dad is a Golden Glove winner back in Hawaii Where he had taught me the ropes, Having the ability gave me the ardor to be cool And bypass the taunts and tease by some folks. Until one day, the leader of the bullies Stood in my way and was not letting me pass, He pushed me back so I would fall, instead With my fist, lands an uppercut to a chin of glass. The rest stood back, all were aghast, Their leader held his bleeding lip And all his teeth were colored red So, I raised my hand and gave them a finger flip. With the friends that I had made Together to the back fence of my house Dropped our things over, then with our hands Gripped the upper part like Mighty Mouse. Ten legs dangled on the other side Released, falling onto the bench pool Then stripped down to our BVDs All five of us jumped into the waiting pool. None could pronounce my last name, 'Kekaula' Proper pronunciation is, Kaye-COW-la Unbeknownst to my mom of my nickname That my friends called me, 'Coca-Cola'. So that was the young life that I have stored In my treasured overflowing chest of memories Indelible encryptions freely shared by me Nowadays a smile known only to be my reveries. Date: 06/08/2019