That was how I met Henry. I rushed from lab to home because it was Thursday at 6:30pm. People at homewoods were supposed to start some pick-up games. I almost bumped when he tried to give me a "Black Style hand-shake".

"Hey man. How are you? You want to play today?" I asked.

"Sure. Just give me five minutes, I gonna to see some friend in the corner." He ran to the corner, where there is a small glossary store. I made a U turn at the corner every night, got yelled occasionally. Sometime I roll down my window, seeing almost nobody but cigarette lights.

I put on my arsenal kit and Henry was already knocking the door. We drove all the way to homewoods compus only to find nobody on the ground. "What the hell is going on today? People just quit soccer?" I felt pretty sorry for Henry because I just wasted his time.

"Well, want to grab a drink? I would not bring you here for nothing, plus people might show up after a while."

"ok! So what is your name?"

"Jinfei."

"Jim? Jim!"

"Jinfei" I corrected him and wondered why most Black or Spanish people I met with on the playground called me Jim.

"Jim. Nice to see you."

"Sure! So, what's your name?"

"Langdon. Henry Langdon. People call me as London because I do not want them to know my real name."

" So, Henry is your real name or you just made it up as I am arsenal fan."

" Oh, Yeah. You are arsenal fan. Henry is my real name. Gee!"

After a cup of drink, I knew him as a Jamaica decedent born in London. His teenage mother left him to America when he was three for drug problems. He came to America to take care of his mother at sixteen when somebody told him she was dying.

"Want to try our fortune on the field? There might be people." I got energetic from the liquid.

" Why not."

We did not find the fortune that night. Nothing would happen until we passed a field where school versatile teams are training.

"I do not know American kids play soccer." Henry stopped, "There is a ball."

We went into the field and played with a play onside. He was good technically and taught me how to bump a ball using forehead. I sucked at forehead. The versatile teams played good. They won applauds even from Henry. I tried my best to avoid interrupting the team on the field.

"You do not play in our field." one of the right wing yelled at us. I felt sorry and tried to leave. "Henry! Let's go or they'll mad."

"Whose ball it is!" another player recognized the ball we borrowed from the couch on the other side. " Leave the ball!"

"Let me teach you American Kids how to play football." Henry curved the ball in the middle of the field, interrupting the whole game. "Hey, man! Do not be silly. Let's leave." I pushed at his back and whispering, " If you want to play a real game here next time, you do not want to get into trouble with them, right? We still got chance to play, maybe this Friday."

"You know why they yell at you?" He turned to me.

" I guess it is my fault." I saw one of the referees came to us. " I am sorry. We are leaving right now!"

" It is because you are playing together with a black man. You see the face of the other guy."

I felt like an alien or a caveman. I realized I have to push him off the field. " Do not be silly! You get me into trouble now. We have to go."

" You think who you are. You are just a kid. " One of those said to him when we passed. " I am going to call the security if you do not leave.

" What you said! You mother cunt! " I could not follow the other worlds Henry was shouting at these people. I finally got him off the field, heading to my car. It was a small accident. Henry was deep breathing like a kid insulted by the others from the neighborhood. We sat in the car. I felt a little bit nervous because who knows what will happen. I ignite my car. " Are you cool? I mean, otherwise I can not drive my car."

"Would you please roll down the window." I rolled down the window. Lights shined on his face. I could see tears in the eye. He closed his eye, trying to forgot about all the world.

The traffic was smooth and we got back pretty soon. " Do you want me to drop you in front of your apartment." I asked, worried that he might do something silly the rest of the night. " I do not want to go home. " He said with an obvious embarrassment that he could not face the family with his anger and something else deeply in his mind that I could not know that moment.

" Stay- out- of- trouble!"

我现在住在Baltimore的黑人区，就在Hopkins医学院边上。网上评价的治安情况臭名昭著，可是我没有觉得很不安全。每天晚上从实验室回来，在门口台阶上 坐着的也是几个熟悉的老面孔。邻居们都听和善，虽然我不知道他们的正规职业是什么。他们会很友善的告诉我要把车趴正；因为街上会有孩子打football， 提醒我最好把车趴在后面小弄堂里面等。我们很少有机会交谈，但是如果我回家早，在门口碰到他们，也会聊上几句。

“Arsenal! That is my team, I used to watch their game every weekend. Hey, Man! You play football?" 某天傍晚，当我匆匆忙忙从实验室回来，换上我新买的Arsenal队服去Cooley Center健身的时候，一个声音从在邻居家门口一堆站着聊天的人群中传来。

” Sure！I used to play, but I could not find anybody playing here in baltimore.You like arsenal?" " I lived in London."

我不相信和我说话的那个黑人邻居是来自伦敦的，他看起来和街边闲逛的人没什么不一样，而且也听不出来有British accent.

” Where do you play？ I want to play with you. Tell me when you play next time!"

" Well, I am not sure. I just heard that there are people playing at homewoods campus. I have to go to the gym. I'll let'u know, man!"

后来我果然打听到了在Homewoods校区踢球的一帮学生，而且也经常去踢。不过我从来没有告诉过那个邻居，一是我后来就没有在门口碰到过他，二来我也不知道他住哪里，叫什么名字，三来我们也不缺人。大概一个月以后吧，我开车去Homewoods踢球的时候在街角又碰到他了。也许他认识我的挂着CT拍照的PT Cruiser，就冲着我的车喊。

“Man，are you playing football?"

" Yeah, actually i am going to play right now." ” Oh, 他脸上流露出一种高兴又遗憾的表情。“I can't play today. Let me know next time!"

The next time was when I started to know the stories of that man and his name: Henry Langdon.

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