1 America's Experience

The United States, November 9, 2004, at four o'clock in the afternoon, a harsh sound basketball could be heard on a street court.

"Hey, Filipino kid, pick up the ball."

The boy who heard the voice ignored the man, just picked up his schoolbag, and left. This was a big man with moreno skin. Although he was only 17 years old, he already had a handsome model face.

I had packed up my equipment and was about to leave when a group of people behind me were still chattering and talking dirty words.

For example, very direct racial discrimination or some personal attacks, or something like, "basketball is a men's sport, your body will bend when you hit it, and you look skinny and clean, like a girl, you are not worthy of playing basketball." The sound that can be heard is getting smaller and smaller.

At this time, the young man came to a Filipino restaurant. Don't think that he came here to consume, but to work. This is a daily necessity for young people. He goes to school, practices, works, sleeps, and goes to school. He lives a repetitive life every day.

The young man who came to the restaurant quickly changed his clothes in the kitchen and went about his daily work. Time flew by in the busyness. In the blink of an eye, it was 9 o'clock in the evening, and the work time was about to end, and it was already in the finishing stage.

After the work was over, the young man followed his boss back to his home. Of course, this was all earned by his work. This was the rule the young man made with his boss when he came to the restaurant.

It doesn't cost a penny, but it has to provide him with food and accommodation. The boss is a man in his 40s. When the boss first met the boy, he learned that he came to the United States alone. He also heard about the boy's experience when he first came to the United States. He felt that the boy had no one to rely on so he help him.

He was divorced and was left alone with a 14-year-old boy. At that time, the boss also had good intentions and wanted to find a playmate for his child, so he took the boy into his home.

Dinner will naturally be cooked by the boss himself, and he and chubby Jonas will do homework together for an hour.

The meal was ready, and Luke was about to eat. The fat guy at the table wanted to chat for a while, but he felt that Luke might not be in a good mood today, so the dinner ended quietly.

Luke and Jonas finished cleaning up the dishes, and just as they were about to go back to the bed and sleep, the boss's voice came from behind, "Jonas, you go back to your room first, Luke stays here, I have something to talk to you."

Jonas returned to the room with puzzled eyes. Luke naturally sat in the living room and poured the boss a glass of water. "What's wrong, uncle Andres?."

"You asked me what's wrong?. You don't look good today, and your on the court again. Were you bully?" Uncle Andres asked.

After coming to the United States, Luke felt the good and bad side of USA. Uncle Andres helped him when he was at his darkest and helpless time. Therefore, Luke trust Uncle Andres because he felt that there was nothing with him worth being scam.

"The starting point guard of our school was injured. I didn't know if I could seize the opportunity. At that time, in Philippines, I relied on my height of 2.01cm and wingspan of 2.20cm, and a speed which was not weaker than a guard. I was unstoppable in the country. So I didn't see myself clearly at that time, and I couldn't listen to the advice of my friends and coach. I told in my parents to support me and ask for money and fly to United States to compete the best High School players ."

"With my talent, I will definitely be able to make a lot of money playing in the NBA. And make history by being the first home grown Filipino playing in the NBA. My mother has been doting on me since I was a child, so at my insistence, my mother spent half of our family's life savings."

"I also saw it later. When I came here in Memphis, my talent here is nothing. The physical talent I was proud of at home was not worth mentioning here. So I decided, if,

this starter I still can't take, then I will go back to Philippines, leave here, give up my dreams, and face reality."

Most of the time it was Luke who poured all his resenment, and Uncle Andres was listening because Uncle Andres knew that this child needed a listener. I have been holding these experiences in my heart.

He could also imagine how energetic Luke was when he first came to the United States, how full of hope he had for his future, and what kind of dreams he had when he came to the United States. However, reality gave him a blow.

Just in the past six months, a person has gone from sunny and humorous to taciturn and completely cold.