Something Very Basic

Something Very Basic ©
Gary Shulman, MS. Ed.
July 21, 2023

To Fort Knox Kentucky drafted I was 
Off to Basic Training this Brooklyn boy went
Petrified to be away from home
To a very “foreign” land I was sent
Barracks life in old Fort Knox 
Replete with diversity truth be told
From right wing angry good old boys
To Black militants just ready to explode
But a lesson I learned and that lesson I’ll share
For it’s helped to dissipate anger and fear
Coming from dear Brooklyn as I did
And Shulman being my name
Folks surmised that I was Jewish
Certainly not any great claim to fame
But soon I found out that this combo of facts
Caused others some consternation
And created in some folks biased trepidation
One particular large fellow hailing from Arkansas
Sized me up real good and here’s what I had in store
Each day he’s come close to my well shaven head
And my nerves did rattle with impending dread
What on earth will he do and what is he thinking?
My heart and my stomach just kept sinking and sinking
But no harm to this boy did he ever do
Just stared and focused on my well shaven top
My nerves and patience were verily about to pop!
So finally I exclaimed without malice or anger
What on earth are your looking for
On my head when you focus and stare?
And with calm in his voice and just matter of fact
“Just trying to find those horns that should be way up there!”
Ahhhhhhh, so Brooklyn plus Jewish in his mind you see
Conjured up the devil, and that devil to him was me!
You see the nature of prejudice is ignorance and misconception
And clearly misconceptions he was staunchly taught
Teachings that an Arkansas farm boy’s mind eagerly bought!
So how do I react to this hard reality?
How shall I respond and what do I do?
Well let me gleefully share for this story I tell is very true
You see the best way to dispel bias and hate
Is to befriend and love and educate
So that’s just what I did and a friendship evolved
And before you knew it, misconceptions all resolved!
I was not the devil he was taught way back when
Looking back I have to say
The whole experience was really quite Zen!
Basic training we both departed
Different pathways our destiny’s would bring
Him back to his hometown in Arkansas
To Brooklyn I would go to do my own unique thing
Then an envelope did arrive at my Brooklyn abode
And the message within made my heart and mind explode
For there clearly stated in the very fancy heading
Was an invitation to an Arkansas wedding!
I will not tease you and pretend that I went
Logistics just weren’t in the stars to attend that grand event
But lesson learned and learned very well
We are all just the same regardless of what life has brought
And when kindness and love are honestly shared
It nullifies the hatred that a lifetime has taught