*Just as the writer intended, you are allowed to see characters as symbolic*

Chimp played with his toy, a white panda with a large nose, bought for him by his parents because they loved the contrast of art (depending on who you asked). When he was four, Chimp was brought into this house. At that time he looked like five years old, same as now. There was no growing for Chimp, no excuse to stretch out a little. Even nature was begging him to hide in its own way

Hide. Don’t let people see you. That’s what Chimp told himself every day as he put a strong effort into shrinking and looking even smaller than his slight self. He failed every time. His blacker than black skin and terrible ugliness had earned him the name he carried now like it was nothing.

“Chimp” Someone called from another bunk bed in the distance. It was Wong, the Asian boy who was their parent’s favorite. No one could ever tell why the Dalton’s loved Wong so much. Why they tolerated things from him that they wouldn’t even tolerate from their aged mother who occasionally came to visit. First, Wong was the only child in the house who could throw a tantrum.

The only one whose brain remembered what a tantrum was and how to execute it. Such details had been wiped clean from the heads of the other children by well-timed smacks and the loyal belt that hung outside their door which they all called Mr. Pandy. The belt used to be the handle of a 1960 storage bag and was made of such strong material that it created an abrupt change in the kids’ perspective every time.

Everyone knew Mr. Pandy, even Wong at some point when he was still little and didn’t have that little cellphone the Daltons bought for him. Chimp wondered why Wong was still awake at 1 am in the night. Then he remembered that his cell phone had internet access and Wong used it to go to many places he called sites.

Wong was just twelve years old, but good feeding in the past year had toned his body in a way that he could pass for a healthy thirteen-year-old. It was a credit to the Dalton’s every time that the social workers came that their kids were so well fed and healthy. Chimp chewed off another piece of his fingernail, today’s dinner had been a piece of chicken breast and he could swear the oil still remained inside his nails.

“Chimp! Why are you awake at this time!” Wong asked, the light from the cellphone illuminating his face into some kind of halo in the darkness.

“Why are you?” Chimp asked, not bothering to whisper like the other boy.

“Shhh! I am watching porn” Wong said.

“What’s that?” Chimp asked.

“A kind of program”

“Okay,” Chimp said. He didn’t ask any questions. That was why Wong liked the kid, other kids would have inquired more and asked to see but Chimp was okay with whatever you told him.

The watching and the playing went on for a little while but soon both children drifted off to sleep. A shooting star crested their rooftop but only the lizard on the window sill saw it. Perhaps a simple wish would have saved them from the problems to come or perhaps not.

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***

The air in central park was crispy and nice, the breeze blew the women’s hair this way and that, they had just come from the United women’s conference that accommodated women of all races. Mrs. Dalton was Black while Mrs. Schweitzer was White but they got along okay, even though Dalton often thought the other woman addressed her most times with a certain condescending tone.

A tone that said, yes we might be in the same organization but I am better than you by a lot and Dalton tried to make up for it by being the better dressed of the two and always talking about her accomplishments. Today, they were talking about Dalton’s home.

“You are such an angel, taking in those kids,” Schweitzer said. She picked a flower from the bushes beside them and handed it to Dalton who thanked her.

“It is the little we can do for the universe which has preserved us for so long,” Dalton said.

“Yes. Let me ask you something” Schweitzer said, turning to Dalton. “What’s the process of adopting a foster kid?”

“It is a whole lot of paperwork and all that trouble with the child.”

“What do you mean?” The fairer woman asked, her eyes said she knew what Dalton meant but just enjoyed watching the other woman fumble.

“Well, most of these kids come damaged,” Dalton said. “You do not intend to adopt a foster child do you?”

“I do. I think I would like to serve the universe too. I, and my husband,” Schweitzer opened her umbrella, so Dalton had to shift away from her to avoid getting hit. The sun was not so hot but what does a Black woman know about how hot the sun is? Dalton thought bitterly.

“I wish you luck,” she said, she sincerely did wish her friend luck. She hadn’t been joking when she said the kids came damaged. She almost laughed when she thought of how hard the snooty Schweitzer and her husband would take adopting a delinquent kid.

“Thank you. I have an idea though. How do you see this arrangement: I take one of your kids off your hands”

“Why the sudden interest in my children?” Dalton asked. She was bristling. The German woman smiled at her.

“They are well behaved, thus eliminating the problem of adopting a delinquent. Also, I will be paying you a nice fee for one of them” she said. The other woman brightened up slowly but surely. She no longer had that angry look of a scared animal but seemed calm and calculating.

“That’s alright. When will you be coming around to make your choice?” She asked.

“Whenever suits my fancy, and my schedule. Good day, Ms. Dalton” Schweitzer said, bowing her head in a strained and formal gesture. She closed her umbrella and walked away.

Dalton watched her for a moment before she got a hold of herself and went the other direction. As she walked, she made quick flustered movements with her hands, convinced that whatever grounds of respect she had made in their shabby “friendship” had been lost in one fell swoop.

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***

The Dalton family, with all its strict rules and regulations, were surprisingly accommodating to themselves with the husband being Muslim and the wife being Christian. This situation was however beneficial to the foster kids who mostly belonged to these major religions, excluding Zoey who was Indian, Wong, and of course Chimp.

That evening, Ms. Dalton and her husband had a bit of wine with their dinner and began to argue about whose religion was the best.

“Whoever did any miracles in your shitty ass religion?” Mrs. Dalton asked her husband.

“Don’t be silly, woman! All your fake ass men of God being involved with all sorts of crime!” He fired back.

“At least, they can be called men of God! Which God exactly are you serving?” Mrs. Dalton retorted. The fight continued. The kids were banished to their rooms.

“Mom can be a total idiot sometimes,” Hadiza said. She was a Muslim girl from Iran whose greatest fancy was to wear a hijab every day of the week and all hours of the day, including to bed. She was pious looking and tended to fold her hands in her lap a lot.

“Why? Because she is saying the truth?” Isaac asked. He was hanging his leg on the roof above his bunk. A fair-skinned white boy whose parents had died in a car crash when returning from some missionary work.

Hadiza laughed “She’s not smart enough to know the truth and neither are you”

“Oh yes, I forgot. The smartest people are terrorists” Isaac said. His tone was bitter and Chimp didn’t know why. What exactly was the reason behind this argument? Hadiza and Isaac got on well on a normal day. Why were they suddenly at each other’s throats?

“Thank God I’ll soon be out of here Insha Allah. Far away from these heathens” Hadiza spat.

“Bad energy, stay far away,” Isaac said snarkily. Hadiza spared him a look of disgust before she brought out the Qur’an she kept safe under her sheets and began to read.

A few hours later, Mrs. Dalton came to take her. Chimp wondered if it was because of the argument. When she returned an hour later, looking fresh and clean as though she had bathed with soap he changed his mind. They were never given soap to bath with, just water. She certainly had not been called for punishment. Ignorant little boy, he was unaware that the Dalton’s (both man and wife) were up to fishy business.

Mr. Dalton had a taste for little girls and Mrs. Dalton used the opportunity to explore the queer part of her she had earlier repressed due to her traditional Christian upbringing. When Wong caught Chimp staring at Hadiza as she made her bed he climbed down from his bunk and went over to him.

“Wondering eh?” He asked. Nudging the smaller boy’s shoulder. Chimp turned to him with a conspiratorial look and Wong smiled. “She is their favorite, you know.”

“I thought that was you,” he said. Wong looked at him in shock for a moment before bursting into laughter. The sides of his eyes crinkled and Chimp was immediately reminded of his grandmother’s face before she died and left him alone in the world. He shook off the images and listened. Wong was still speaking.

“I am their terror,” he said. His eyes were slightly unfocused, as though he was remembering a past event. “But her? She is the real sweet thing. A born natural”

He tossed his head in a manner that let Chimp know it was hard for him to talk about. Wong stared at Hadiza’s bunk, his eyes lingering on her sleeping form. Then he laughed again, harsh and painful.

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***

Chimp pinched at the starched shirt he wore and shifted on the sofa. The sofa was softer than he remembered from three months ago when he had last sat on it. Today was the day the social workers came and they were all made to dress nice. Chimp was wearing a white shirt and trouser which clashed with his black color – again the Daltons’ love for contrast coming to play.

He was so black against the white outfit that he looked like midnight encased in snow. His clothes were two sizes too small for him and the trousers dragged at the crotch. The Dalton’s always wore the kid clothes like this as if to say, yes we are doing our best taking care of them but it is not enough. It always worked, well-meaning people sent them money every time after a social service visit and this time wouldn’t be an exception.

A car pulled into the driveway and Mrs. Dalton’s rushed to the window. She was wearing a hot pink gown and her pressed hair was done up in a regal bun. Seeing her, Chimp had a thought that perhaps his mother would have looked like this had she lived. Then he shook his head, his mother had dark skin, whereas Mrs. Dalton’s fair skin and her straightened made her seem almost white.

A knock at the door and Mr. Dalton opened it to reveal the social worker, she was old and stately in her blue dress and hat. She handed Mr. Dalton her handbag and left him looking perplexed. He never took his wife’s bag, ever. Mrs. Dalton walked over to the woman and they greeted each other with formal kisses on both cheeks.

The social worker introduced herself as Ms. Hamilton, she encouraged the children to talk to her and they sat there staring in awe. Some of the children attempted to touch her when she got close enough to them but Chimp did not do that. She squatted before him and smiled. Chimp noted that she had pieces of gold in her teeth.

“What’s your name darling?” She asked. Chimp opened his mouth to speak, he knew his name would feel foreign on his tongue but he needn’t have worried.

“Chimp!!!” All the children chorused and fell over themselves laughing. For a moment, Ms. Hamilton was shocked and then she had no choice but to join in the laughter. Mrs. Dalton’s eyes could have incinerated the whole living room. She was so angry at their actions that she gave each of them a look with a promise one by one.

As though sensing the heat, Ms. Hamilton took Mrs. Dalton to a corner and they began to talk. Chimp watched them as they talked when they began pointing at him, he felt genuinely puzzled.

“I am impressed at how happy the kids are,” Ms. Hamilton said. She handed Mrs. Dalton the envelope she carried.

“Oh, I am so grateful. I mean happy too” Mrs. Dalton replied, faltering as she felt the weight of the envelope.

“Can I talk to him?” Ms. Hamilton asked, pointing to Chimp.

“Him? Well yes.” Mrs. Dalton said she wasn’t surprised that Chimp was drawing attention. He almost always did.

Chimp followed the social worker out to her car, the eyes of his comrades boring into his back. When they got there, she opened the big grey door and lifted him into the back seat.

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“You are five years old right?” She asked, smiling at him. Chimp bobbed his head. He did not even have to think because that was the standard age he had been telling social workers for the past three years.

“So tell me, how is your life here? Is there anything you want?”

“No,” Chimp said, the social worker gave him a probing look. “Mom and dad are good to us”

“Oh. That’s beautiful” Ms. Hamilton replied. Chimp starred, hypnotized by the light catching on her diamond earrings. They stayed there for a while until Ms. Hamilton was satisfied he wasn’t going to say anything more and sent him back to the house.

When they were all sent back to their room, all the other children gathered around Chimp who sat cross-legged on his bed like a monk. It had taken them hours to rearrange the room and place all the bunk beds back. They were now ready to hear all about his encounter with the social worker and he told them.

“Did you tell her all fifteen of us live in this cramped room?” Isaac asked. Chimp turned to look at him. Isaac noticed anew how ugly the other boy really was, with his flat nose, wide forehead, and small sharp eyes.

“No,” Chimp replied. Wong walked over and joined them, he was not smiling.

“Did you tell her we barely have enough to eat?” He asked. Everyone looked gratefully at him, he was very kind to ask that question even if he got extra rations every day.

“No,” Chimp said again. There was total silence, even the younger ones like Zoey understood that Chimp had made a grave mistake that could not be forgiving. Hadiza walked up to him, her steps were shaky. She climbed his bed with her knees until she was face to face with him. Chimp watched her balled fists.

“Did you tell her that..that..” she choked on whatever she wanted to say. Then she covered her mouth with her hand and jumped off the bed. Wong followed her out of the room after casting a hateful glance at Chimp. The eight-year-old boy was more confused than he had ever been in his life. Suddenly it seemed that people expected more from him than he had expected from himself.

Who gave them the idea that he would be able to lead a rebellion against the Dalton’s? He was just Chimp, ugly neglected Chimp who was left alone most of the time. Even in shared adversity, he had no friends. Perhaps because he always kept to himself and never thought it necessary to offer a hand of help or support. He was used to feeling out of place.

He was Chimp, a black boy stuck in his corner of the room with his white panda. A black boy who at eight already had the old tired mind of an eighty years old man and the body of a five-year-old! He fondled the diamond earrings hidden under his shirt. He would one day realize they were fake diamonds and it wouldn’t matter anyway.

“That might have been our last chance,” Isaac said, breaking the silence. Then he got up and left the bed. His action was a cue to the other kids who also left Chimp and went to occupy their own beds. Chimp didn’t sleep early that night and when he did he had nightmares where he was being chased by a boy about his age.

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***

Chimp was mowing the lawn when another car drove into their driveway. This one was blue and the occupants were a man and a woman with very blonde hair. The car sidled up to him.

“Aren’t you too young to be doing that?” The blonde woman asked.

“Or too ugly. Jesus, look at him.” The man said from the driver’s seat. The woman smacked him on his arm.

“Honey! Don’t say that,” she was trying not to laugh “Forgive my husband.” She said. They drove down the driveway and Chimp quickly disappeared through the back. Mom would be furious if she knew he had let visitors catch him mowing. He went to the room and changed into nice clothes like the other children. Mrs. Dalton had left the clothes with an instruction that no one was to come out until she called them.

One by one she called their names. The kids came back to tell the remaining kids about their experience. Some had been pushed and prodded by the thin white woman. Others had been dismissed on sight. Isaac said the woman had rejected him after saying there was nothing “spooky and curious” about him.

The other children thought it was a compliment but Isaac didn’t, he seemed close to tears. Soon it was just Chimp, Hadiza, and Wong in the room. As three of them no longer talked to each other, there was a calming silence that Chimp enjoyed.

“Davis Mandela!” Mrs. Dalton called. For a moment, Chimp remained sitting on his bed. Then Wong gave him a look of disgust and he got up. His name was indeed Davis Mandela. He hadn’t heard it in so long that it sounded strange in his ears.

Chimp went out. The white woman clapped in delight when she saw him.

“I want this one,” she said. Mrs. Dalton did not look pleased.

“Errm..” she began to say but stopped when she was silenced by the envelope Schweitzer offered. “Thank you”

Schweitzer got up abruptly “I will be leaving,” she told her friend. She walked towards the door, dragging Chimp along with her. Then suddenly she stopped and turned around.

“Did you forget something?” Miss Dalton asked.

“No. I’m just happy I found what I was searching for here. Even If I didn’t know I wanted it until I saw it” she said, staring at the walls with new fondness.

“I’m happy to be of help. Christopher is like a good luck charm” Mrs. Dalton said and smiled at the little boy. Chimp looked to see if the other woman had heard but she was rummaging in her bag. A compliment from Mrs. Dalton. The little boy was almost bursting with happiness. If only his new “mom” would listen. Perhaps it would help his chances in his new house.

“What did you say?” Schweitzer asked. She had found her car keys. Mrs. Dalton opened her mouth to speak.

Suddenly, there was a scuffle coming from inside the house, someone shouted. Chimp knew it was Wong, there was a cry of pain and Mrs. Dalton ran through the connecting door. Chimp made to follow her and was pulled back with so much force he almost flew into the lawn. Schweitzer smiled prettily at her new ward.

“That doesn’t concern you anymore, Does it?” She asked. Chimp shook his head after a minute of thinking. No, it doesn’t he thought. He walked slowly towards the car parked in the driveway, the freshly mowed grass squishing under his feet.