'Checkout' how far we've come

[Unkotare]

So I stop in the big chain grocery store on my way home late from work last night to pick up a few essentials (to make my famous Western Omelettes for my two favorite people this morning), and I had an interesting interaction. It was a brief but interesting experience that made me reflect, in a positive way, on where we are heading in general.

I was waiting in the checkout aisle behind an older, white-haired dame who was just going through the usual procedure of swiping her credit card and punching in the numbers, etc. There was a young-ish black woman standing on the other side of the checkout area (looked like she was waiting for someone who was still shopping, or to meet someone, whatever). She had with her, a young boy - looked to be around 2 years old or so. Cute as a button. Well, just as the old gal was finishing up, the little boy waddled over past her (little kids can be deceptively quick if you don't keep a constant eye), grabbed a bag of chips from that 'last minute impulse buy' rack and put it on the belt with the old lady's stuff. It was (obviously) done so innocently but looked like a "Here, put this on her tab" scene that everyone nearby had a laugh as the mom apologized and scooted over to return the chips and scoop up her boy. The mom looked a little embarrassed, but everyone got a kick out of it.

Anyway, the old gal, who gave the little boy a grandmotherly pat on the head on her way out, was done and I was standing there while the young lady working the register scanned my items as her co-worker bagged them. The mother and child were still there waiting for someone (I guess) and looking over at the cute little kid I couldn't help but chortle again at the charmingly amusing scene that had just transpired.

At this point, the girl working the checkout looked at me, utterly without guile or pretense, and asked - as if it were the most natural thing in the world - "Is that your son"? I informed her that no, he wasn't and that I was just still amused at the prior scene. And that was about it. I suppose the little guy was sort of lighter-skinned, but I didn't detect any particular resemblance. The idea that he 'couldn't' be (or that it would even be remarkable) because we were different 'races' rolleyes never seemed to have crossed her mind.

The entire interaction took considerably less than a minute, but I was left with a rather positive feeling as I continued on my way home.

And that's about it.

 

[oldfart]

So I stop in the big chain grocery store on my way home late from work last night to pick up a few essentials (to make my famous Western Omelettes for my two favorite people this morning), and I had an interesting interaction. It was a brief but interesting experience that made me reflect, in a positive way, on where we are heading in general.

I was waiting in the checkout aisle behind an older, white-haired dame who was just going through the usual procedure of swiping her credit card and punching in the numbers, etc. There was a young-ish black woman standing on the other side of the checkout area (looked like she was waiting for someone who was still shopping, or to meet someone, whatever). She had with her, a young boy - looked to be around 2 years old or so. Cute as a button. Well, just as the old gal was finishing up, the little boy waddled over past her (little kids can be deceptively quick if you don't keep a constant eye), grabbed a bag of chips from that 'last minute impulse buy' rack and put it on the belt with the old lady's stuff. It was (obviously) done so innocently but looked like a "Here, put this on her tab" scene that everyone nearby had a laugh as the mom apologized and scooted over to return the chips and scoop up her boy. The mom looked a little embarrassed, but everyone got a kick out of it.

Anyway, the old gal, who gave the little boy a grandmotherly pat on the head on her way out, was done and I was standing there while the young lady working the register scanned my items as her co-worker bagged them. The mother and child were still there waiting for someone (I guess) and looking over at the cute little kid I couldn't help but chortle again at the charmingly amusing scene that had just transpired.

At this point, the girl working the checkout looked at me, utterly without guile or pretense, and asked - as if it were the most natural thing in the world - "Is that your son"? I informed her that no, he wasn't and that I was just still amused at the prior scene. And that was about it. I suppose the little guy was sort of lighter-skinned, but I didn't detect any particular resemblance. The idea that he 'couldn't' be (or that it would even be remarkable) because we were different 'races' rolleyes never seemed to have crossed her mind.

The entire interaction took considerably less than a minute, but I was left with a rather positive feeling as I continued on my way home.

And that's about it.

Years ago my older son was the only white player on his high school football team. I was picking him up from practice when another player asked me, "Which one is your boy?"

This is the same town where fifteen years previously I had been babysitting the same son and the son of my department chair (who was black) and took them to a McDonalds. The room went silent when we walked in the door. How much of this was the passage of fifteen years and how much being at a mostly black vs mostly white location I leave to you.

 

[Michelle420]

Great feeling to your experience thanks for sharing.


Thanks for the omelette it was great

 

[Unkotare]

Thanks for the omelette it was great

You wish!

 

[Unkotare]

Too bad a thread like this won't get 100,000,000,000,000 replies like the ones that mainly feature the slinging of racial epithets by morons and cowards of all stripes.

 

[Mr. H.]

Cool story, bro.