Daniel Orozco held his father’s younger brother, Sam, in high esteem. To Daniel, this Uncle Sam was more significant than any patriotic symbol.
Samuel Orozco harbored an unexplained animosity towards African Americans. Unbeknownst to him, this bias stemmed from his brother Raul’s influence. Raul had developed a grudge against African Americans ever since losing his high school sweetheart to a star basketball player, who later became a successful NBA athlete and entrepreneur.
On Daniel’s inaugural day of high school, Ernest Brown was equally excited to start his dream job as a computer operator at American Foods Inc. When Ernest, donned in a sports coat and tie, crossed paths with Daniel, it inexplicably triggered Daniel’s anger, leading him to stomp on Ernest’s foot. Despite the pain, Ernest was determined not to let the incident dampen his spirits.
Day after day, Daniel would sit beside Ernest on the bus, subjecting him to relentless harassment. Ernest, however, chose to endure the torment without retaliation.
Come Friday, Daniel’s frustration reached a boiling point, and he was itching for a confrontation. But the bus driver, having noticed Daniel’s behavior, intentionally skipped his stop, further fueling his rage. Uncle Sam then proposed a reckless plan: to seek out an African American for a fight downtown.
Impatient for conflict, Daniel targeted the first African American man he encountered. This man, an elderly individual known as ‘Killer Mike,’ was a former gang member adept at using his cane as a weapon. When Daniel provoked him, Mike swiftly defended himself, leaving Daniel battered.
Recognizing Killer Mike, Uncle Sam fled in terror, later calling an ambulance for his injured nephew from a safe distance.
In the aftermath, Daniel received an unexpected visit from his uncle Raul, who revealed a partnership with the basketball player and shared that their family history included African American ancestry on both parental sides.
As for Uncle Sam, he was barred from seeing Daniel until he could rid himself of his prejudiced views.
