The day is calm and normal as it can ever be. My friend and I hang out at the parking lot of my elementary school. The school is conveniently located in front of my house so I come here and hang out often.

Jumping over things like piles of rocks or sticks on my Razor scooter made me feel like the coolest kid around. Just minding my own business, I am interrupted by what seems to be a teenager. He is a skinny guy with a shaved head wearing a white wife beater and shorts.

“Hey kid, I’ll give you ten dollars,” he says as he slowly approaches me, “if I can’t wheelie down the parking lot with that scooter of yours.”

Thinking about the ten dollars, i listen up. The teenager even hands me the ten dollars before performing the wheelie.

“If I can do it,” he explains,”you have to give back the ten dollars and I will give back your scooter,”

The parking lot of the school is sloped. I think to myself that it would be impossible for him to go wheelie that far across the parking lot especially down hill. Plus, even if he did do it, i would have nothing to lose in this bet. Being the gullible little fifth grader I am, I hand over my scooter. His ten dollars are in my hand and I trust him with my scooter.

The guy heads up the parking lot. He turns around. Getting a running start, he jumps onto my scooter. Lifting up the front wheel of my scooter while balancing with his left leg, he executes the wheelie. My friend an I look in awe as he does what thought would be impossible for anyone to do.

After completing the downhill wheelie, the teenager approaches me again to return my scooter and retrieve the ten dollars. A bet is a bet so I hand back the ten dollars that is rightfully his. My hand reaches out to hand back his money. As I do so, he quickly snatches the then dollars from my hand then shoves me to the ground.

My body is frozen on the cold black top, shocked that someone would do that to a little kid like me. Anger fills me up inside as I watch the thief get away. Quickly getting up, I chase after him wanting my scooter back. He runs along the side walk next to the school fences and I follow behind him. All I focus on as I run is that deceiving thief.

“Give back my scooter!” I yell as the chase goes on.

Coming close to him, he makes a sudden turn through an opening of the gate that leads into the school play ground. Attempting to make the same sudden turn to the gates, I trip and fall to my knees. As I get up, I take a look around me. There is a man walking on the side walk across the street, a mother playing with her child on the same sidewalk I fell on, and others inside the school field and playground. All of which witness the incident and me falling on the ground. However, no one even attempts to stop the thief of even help me up. Regardless of my bloody scraped knee, I continue the chase the guy aimlessly across school grounds.

A person sitting on the playground, who appears to be part of the thief’s group of friends, finally says something.

“Aye, give his scooter back,” He says.

The chase comes to an end as he approaches me. I stand there panting, tired from all this running. He hands my scooter back and shoves me to ground once more. Getting back up, I’m still upset. It was not about the scooter, but at the world. Expecting help from people around will most likely end in disappointment and false hope. My trust in the general public comes to an end.