Little T

Someone just asked me, "What really makes you mad?" Oh, tons of things make me mad: stupid people, people that talk to me like I'm an idiot, bad coffee, liars, one-uppers, and racial insensitivity. Last one's a doozy, huh?

I can't stand it when people use the "n" word. I can't stand it when people align their lives to stereotypes. That just really sucks. My mom has been dating a Trinidadian man for, oh, seven years or so--a really long time. For nearly 90% of those 7 years, I've had a big problem with him. Not because he's black, but because I didn't like the way he was treating my mom. I used to hate it when my mom would say, "It's because he's black, isn't it?" Um, NO. I don't give a rat's ass WHAT color he is, if he's treating me mom like ass, I'm not going to like him. Now, we all get along pretty well. He loves my kids, and my kids are taking a likin' to him. He's very, very nice--albeit YOUNG (my mother, the cradle-robber)--but he's lots of fun to talk to. Especially because he has a wicked Trinidadian accent, and he's always saying things like, "Oh my God, woman!" and it just sounds so frickin hilarious.

That being the case, I get SO uncomfortable around people that bash other races, but particularly black people (I can't really say "African-American" because mom's guy is from the islands). It really pisses me off. Why in the world would you judge someone by the color of their skin? Am I a better person when I'm not tanned?

That being said, yesterday I asked mom if "Little T" (that's what I call him) will be able to get off of work for the girls' birthday party. And you know what? I meant it. I think this is a valuable lesson for my kids, and for me, too.