I was having lunch with a friend,

Cheese pizza, Mountain Dew, and fries.

A group of guys sitting nearby,

Were laughing aloud at the school cafeteria.

One of them approaches and sitting next to me

He says,

“I’m hungry and I’ll get a dollar if I come to you

and say that you look really Asian.”

Confused and caught off guard, I calmly reply,

“I am Asian.”

He stands up and proceeds to yell,

“Hey! You look really Asian!”

Mission accomplished. He earned his buck.

He leaves and joins his cronies.

I look at my friend and we both understand,

Had it been my or his country,

I’d slap him in the face.

Uncomfortable in front of my dostluk,

Turkish for a “friend” as he taught me,

We’re done with our food and ready to leave.

And then I felt it.

This wasn’t right.

Of all the people in the crowd

This stranger chose to target me.

I take a buck, go to the clown,

And then I say,

“You chose to insult me for just a dollar,

Here’s another to learn some manners.”

And then I leave.

He smirked as if he didn't hear me,

I didn't know what else to say. 

Throughout the day I thought about it,

The whole encounter could be worse,

But here’s the truth.

Trivializing racism is not an option.

No tolerance for stigmatization.

For othering. For racist trolling.