i got race-baited today, for the third time in as many decades. It’s interesting for me to look back at how my reactions have evolved over the years:
- The first time, i was probably about 19 or 20. i was drinking in a bar (yes, illegally, but i looked older…) with two of my friends, one of whom was Guyanese and the other of whom was Trinidadian. i tell you that because it’s ironic that neither of them were actually black. This redneck at the other end of the bar (there was nobody there but us and this redneck and his wife) loudly stage whispered to his wife, “Look at that. Two niggers and a white girl. What a shame.” i glassed him in the ear with my giant thick beer mug and barely escaped being arrested.
- The second time was about 4 years ago, shortly after i moved to DC. i was in line at the grocery store checkout and the woman behind me hit me, pretty hard, with her cart. i gave her a dirty look and she muttered “white bitch.” i turned around and looked right at her and said “black heifer.” That was the end of it.
- Today, this woman stiff-arm pushed me out of the way to get on the bus. i said, “really? You’re just going to push me like that?” And instead of being ashamed that she had been called out, this bitch got wise and started running her mouth at me. i told her that civilized people don’t touch each other, and that we are not animals in the zoo. So she said something about me being a “little white lady” and i said “Why’s it gotta be a white thing now? Why’s it gotta be like that?” She goes “because that’s how i feel this is.” And though i didn’t raise my voice, i lost my temper a little. i said, “Lady, people like you ALWAYS feel things are racist so they don’t have to face the fact that they’re wrong. Race has nothing to do with it. You’re a TECHNICOLOR asshole, so take the race card and stick it back in the deck, bitch.” She said something about my mother being an animal in the zoo. i asked her if she was six years old. People laughed. She shut up.
i think i’ve grown as a person. HAHAHA.
