I remember him on his first day in the sixth grade. He was the only black face in a sea of white. A few days later, he had yet to connect with anyone. Our teacher asked me to talk to him. So I went over to him and said, “Hi.” He replied, “Hi.”    The next day, “What’s up?” “Not much.” We added a word or two each day until full sentences were formed, and then a paragraph.
Soon we became good friends and our friendship survived new friendships and small arguments.    When it was my turn, I expressed criticism of his choice of clothing. He was laughing as hard as I was.
Strangely enough, I remember so much about that day except in what context (语境) the N-word (rude word for a black person) was used.    He was my best friend. But the look on his face told me otherwise.
It was a few days before we spoke again. Although we insisted we’d be friends forever, I never saw him after high school. It may not have had anything to do with what I said, or it may have had everything. 
Several days ago, there was a near race riot (暴动) during a high school basketball game, and angry teenagers shouted several rude words.  All I wonder is if these kids will ever feel as bad as I did for using such a rude word. It’s a curse word, but the real curse is on the person who uses it.

A．And that was it for day one.

B．Later that year, we were leaving school.

C．My purposes were not to wound him obviously.

D．These words brought back a flood of memories.

E. By that point, we weren’t close enough for me to ask.
F. One day, with nothing better to do, we played jokes on each other.
G. At our senior graduation party, we made a point of toasting each other.