"Dude, I told you before, my name is Pooja Manochahal, not frigging Poo-Poo, and if you poke my nose one more time, I swear will slap the shit out of you," said the diminutive, curvy, raven-haired and brown-skinned young Indian woman, speaking in a measured tone. Fearlessly she looked up at the tall, young Black man who stood before her, a smug smile on his rather handsome face. Taking a deep breath, Pooja eagerly awaited the brother's answer.
"You're so damn cute when you're angry, Poo-Poo," Regis Benton said, grinning like the Devil himself, and with that, he poked Pooja on the nose one more time. Or one time too many, depending on whom one asks. That's when the five-foot-two, tiny Indian woman flew at him, turning into a veritable cyclone of pent-up anger being released. As the tiny fury lashed out at him, Regis laughed as he batted Pooja's small but strong little hands away, finally getting his arms around her, holding her in a bear hug.
"Put me down you oaf," Pooja shouted, and Regis looked at her, and winced upon seeing the hurt look on her lovely face. Holding his hands up, he nodded, and Pooja shook her head, and glared at him through reddening eyes. Ever since she transferred to Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Massachusetts, from Tarn Taran District, Punjab State of India, life had definitely not been kind to Pooja.
It was bad enough that Pooja came to the United States of America as a refugee, ever since her parents, Sardul and Sonia Manochahal got into it with Minister Ahmed Khan, a local Muslim politician of ill repute, and were forced to go into hiding. Now that Pooja was living in the State of Massachusetts, attending a small local college, she had an insufferable young African American who wouldn't stop teasing her. Seriously, what in the name of Guru Nanak had she done to deserve this?
Pooja Manochahal came to the City of Brockton, Massachusetts, with the goal of integrating herself into American society and prepare for her eventual reunification with her parents. She knew it was only a matter of time before they left India and sought political asylum in the United States. Tensions between Sikhs and Muslims were at an all-time high in India, and Pooja feared for her parents safety. Since she'd just finished school at the time of the incident, they sent her to America, with the promise to rejoin her later.
Pooja hoped to become a permanent resident soon and be able to sponsor her parents. This meant studying hard and getting a good job, thus proving to the American immigration authorities that she was an asset to the nation, and not a burden. Adjusting to life in small-town America hadn't proved very easy for her. Pooja worked thirty hours a week at the Dunkin Donuts located near the Silver Line Train Station to pay her rent and tuition. Oh, and she hadn't made a lot of friends at her new school, Massasoit Community College...
"I'm sorry, Pooja, I didn't mean to, you know, bug you, I thought you were just kidding," Regis said, and when Pooja's eyes met his, she saw that the brother was genuinely sorry. He looked almost hurt by her words, if that were possible. Pooja sighed, and when the young man apologized and held out his hand, she shook it without hesitation. I'm a stranger here and must establish peaceful relations with the locals, Pooja thought magnanimously.
"Alright, Regis, I accept your apology, but let's establish some ground rules for this class project, no poking, no grabbing, and let's be respectful at all times, yes?" Pooja said, pointing her index finger at Regis for emphasis, and the young man smiled and nodded. With that, the two of them returned to the table by the library window, and resumed working on their class project.
"Professor Mackay wants us to discuss the impact of Black Lives Matter in American politics today, we should focus on the birth of the movement and its aims and gains," Regis said, speaking in a crisp businesslike tone. Sitting across from him, Pooja was surprised by the change in Regis tone and demeanor. Initially, Pooja had dismissed him as the class clown type, and been slightly offended by the way Regis criticized her traditional Sikh wear on the first day of class.
"Americans know very little about what goes on in the world beyond their borders and have zero respect for other cultures," said Amrit, Pooja's landlady, when the young Sikh woman asked about what she could expect on her first day at Massasoit Community College. Pooja had been initially doubtful, thinking the old Indian woman only wanted to scare her, and then she walked into her first class, and everyone, including the minority students like Regis here, looked at her as though she were an alien from Mars.
Pooja had little interest in Western women's clothing, and came to America with a ton of traditional outfits from India. The young Sikh woman wore her Salvar Kameez, traditional Sikh women's wear, with utmost pride. Let them stare at her loose-fitting Salvar pants, her Dastar turban, and her loose-fitting Kameez shirt all they wanted. I am a Sikh woman and proud, Pooja thought that first day, undaunted by the Americans and their stares, which ranged from puzzled to hostile.
"Why are American police so violent? It seems that they like to shoot first and ask questions never," Pooja said, mystified as she looked at an image on her laptop. According to the web news, a black man who was stopped by the police while driving around with his lady and her daughter was shot by a Latino cop even though he was compliant and posed no threat to the police officer in question. In India, police could be a bit rough around the edges sometimes, but they paled in comparison to American police, apparently...
"They're like that because they hate brothers, they are slowly exterminating us," Regis replied with a sad shake of his head, and there was a hollow, haunted look on his face. Pooja looked into his eyes and saw none of the infuriating mirth that she usually considered his trademark "Regis" look. Leaning back in his chair, Regis pursed his lips and looked at Pooja, and for the first time she'd known him, he seemed hesitant...
"Regis, are you okay?" Pooja heard herself ask, even though she really ought to be focusing on the class project, on which thirty percent of her grade depended, and not on the campus playboy's mental state. Regis nodded, and flashed Pooja that fearless smile of his, except this time it did not fool her one bit. Pooja's own father had been a sergeant in the Indian Army, and while a loving husband and father, he was not the most expressive man in the world. Pooja saw right through her father's armor, just like she could see through Regis tough guy act...
"I'm cool, don't you worry your pretty head about it, Miss Manochahal, now, let's focus on the project," Regis said, still smiling, and Pooja grinned. For she was impressed, both with how he managed to pronounce her last name correctly instead of butchering it like so many Americans had, and how he kept up his tough-guy act. Men are the same everywhere, I swear, Pooja thought, smiling slyly.