n1
The local fire department put on a demonstration for the public, where people were invited to participate in some fire-fighting activities. Since it was free, I was eager to join in.
But then racism reared its ugly head. I have thought about it over and over, but the only conclusion that I can arrive at is that I was rejected because I'm Chinese. I suspect that the locals were afraid that a Chinese man might perform these activities better than an Italian. This made my stomach turn.