Seeds of Time by K. C. Dyer

looked quizzical. “For Lily?”
    Brodie laughed. “Not Lily. Darrell.”
    Kate shrugged. “I do too, sometimes. But every time I try to talk to her, she’s either rude or nasty.” She glanced up at the tree to see Darrell scribbling away in her book. “I’ve known her for a long time, you know.”
    â€œHave you?” Brodie looked embarrassed. “Ah ... how did it happen?”
    â€œHer leg, you mean?”
    â€œYeah.”
    Kate sighed. “It was a really sad story. She was in a motorcycle accident with her dad. He died and she lost her foot.”
    Brodie winced. “She probably needs to talk about it to get the bitterness out of her system.”
    Kate laughed, and looked with interest at Brodie. “That doesn’t sound like something most boys would say.”
    Brodie looked a bit defensive. “Let’s just say I’ve had a few of my own problems. I think talking them out helps a bit, that’s all.”
    Kate looked out at Lily, still swimming like a fish in the ocean. She bit her lip.
    â€œDo you mean problems like with what Conrad said the other day?”
    Brodie stiffened. “What do you mean?”

    â€œWhen he called you Slant. I mean, that’s really racist. I couldn’t believe he could say something like that.”
    Brodie shrugged. “He called Darrell a gimp, too. He was full of kind thoughts.” Brodie looked serious for a moment, then brightened. “Loved that little flip that you pulled on him, though. That kind of made up for the name-calling.”
    Kate smiled. “Glad you liked it.”
    They stood up to head back to the school. Darrell slipped down out of her tree and followed.
    Brodie spoke again. “You know, sometimes I know how Darrell feels. My dad’s family came to Canada to help build the railroad in 1887. They were from Shanghai. That was five generations ago.” Kate nodded as Brodie continued. “My mother is actually from Scotland, but she moved here to go to university, and that’s where she met and married my dad.” He thought for a moment. “Growing up on the West Coast has been great. There are people of all backgrounds here and almost everybody is pretty cool. Most people I have met are a little more enlightened than those idiots on the beach.” He reddened, slightly. “It just gets to me when people judge others purely on how they look. They did it to Darrell and they did it to me. I guess I shouldn’t let it get to me.”
    Kate nodded. “You’re right, they were just idiots,” she said.

    Brodie looked serious. “Still ... I have run into a fair share of racists in my time. It feels awful when some jerk tries to make you feel like you don’t fit in for a reason as lame as the colour of your skin or the shape of your eyes.”
    Kate looked horrified. “You don’t get that feeling here at Eagle Glen, do you?”
    Brodie smiled as they rounded the corner to the school. “Our beach idiots excepted, not really. But I think I know someone else who feels like an outsider.” Darrell froze, and leaned up against the corner, straining to hear.
    â€œI think I will try again, to see if she’ll talk about it,” Brodie said firmly.
    Kate laughed. “Good luck! If she gets too hard to handle, just call on me. I think I know a few tae kwon do moves that will hold her in place so you can you get away safely!”
    Darrell silently steamed as the voices faded into the school doorway. She bit her lip and then, after a few moments, trailed into the school.
    At dinner that night, Professor Tooth stood up with archaeology teacher Mr. Dickerman to announce that Brodie Sun had won the Katzenberg Award for an essay he had written about ancient arrow heads found on the west coast of Canada. With the award came a scholarshipthat would offset the cost of his summer school courses at Eagle Glen. Everyone applauded