Right Place, Wrong Face

Nyiakki Height
English 098
9/17/12
Mr. Kennedy As I strolled home from work on a late night, I heard a loud siren with blue and red lights headed my way. Minding my own business, I kept walking because I absolutely knew the cops were not looking for an innocent man like me. The police car got closer and closer, quickly approaching my side. I noticed my shoes were untied, and I bent down to tie them. Within a blink of an eye, I was being arrested for attempted robbery because I was black and out late at night. In “Right Place, Wrong Face” by Alton Fitzgerald White, the stage is set for racial prejudice against an innocent man. Racial prejudice is not rare based on someone’s race or color. The way society provides a certain image for a particular set of people decreases their opportunity of showing their true character. Unfortunately White was caught in the right place at the wrong time, which led to his unjust arrest at his Harlem apartment building. His perception of everything was forever changed. White grew up in Cincinnati as the youngest of his five sisters and two brothers. While growing up, he was raised to believe that if he worked hard and was a good person, the world would be his oyster. The American dream is to become successful in life some kind of way legally. Most people would agree with White’s approach to the world but in his case, it did not work in his favor. His peers describe him as hardworking, successful, talented, charismatic, friendly, and polite. Those characteristics should make any person, no matter race, a decent if not successful person in today’s society. Later in White’s life he became an actor, singer, and dancer and had appearances in several Broadway shows. Therefore the manners he learned growing up was not a total waste, he actually became someone and accomplished great things in his life. Even with his good character the image society gives you is just almost impossible to overcome. As a person White’s character carried him a long way in life. He was not a huge superstar; he had a regular life with a consistent schedule. White should be able to change his daily schedule without any obstacles for the reason that his neighbors knew him as a well-rounded man. One day White decided to switch his routine, not knowing that his slight change would cause him unpredictable complications. “On Fridays Fitzgerald usually take a trip to the bank, run a few errands, workout at the gym, eat dinner, then head to the theatre.” Instead he changed his day up one particular Friday which would not end as he expected, that day he had another destination awaiting him. “During a Friday evening White was running late to the bank, as he walked through the lobby, he noticed two unfamiliar Hispanic men.” White probably thought they were there for a good reason. “When he approached the exit door to politely open it, to which he thought was the paramedics, the cops walked in and arrested him for no precise reason”. At this time White is thinking what is going on or what have I done to receive such punishment. The police arrested him for because two Hispanic men were reported about having guns. Any human being would question a suspicious arrest and there should always be an answer to it, but he never did get an answer for his imaginary crimes. “Instead they wasted his time by taking him to jail and searching him unjustly after realizing he was not a suspect”. Before the incident White did not know how someone’s guidelines to life could have changed drastically. White’s perspective of the world was altered because he became a victim of racial prejudice. In the story White stated, “Not only because I wasn’t given a second to use the manners my parents taught me, but because the police, whom were supposed to serve and protect me, were actually hunting me.” White was taught to do right and live life by the law. I can relate to White’s situation. Around age twelve, my cousin and I were hanging out with some friends; one was Hispanic and the other black. We were out one beautiful day strolling through the neighborhood where my cousin lived. As we were walking and talking, we noticed a white police officer driving down the street. When the car got near us, he hopped out and started chasing us. Our first instinct was to run, but after quite a few yards, I thought why are we running? Then I stopped my sprint to ask why are we being chased, his response was that we was not supposed to be in the neighborhood because we were caught breaking into people houses before. The answer he gave was ridiculous for the reason that he mistaken us for some other black kids and as we were being arrested we told him that we lived in the neighborhood, but he refused to listen and kept us all in handcuffs until my aunt came to the rescue. White was in a very similar predicament. “He sat in cell crying of disappointment and injustice with the realization of how many innocent black men are convicted for no reason”. Both White and I were wrongfully accused. The false arrest tainted his perspective and caused him to view people different.