Here's a story you might enjoy. A child on a New Orleans party bus last week. I was standing on a street corner as this bus slowly navigated a turn, and an adorable gap-toothed little boy, about eleven years old, stuck his whole upper body out the window and grinned at me. I waved frantically and smiled a big goofy smile, and he began shrieking in glee, "FAGGOT! FAAAGGGOTTT!" Of course, I burst into laughter and began dancing around and waving even more enthusiastically. As the bus drove down the street, I could hear him continue yelling it while pointing delightedly. "FAAGGGGOT! FAAGGOT! FAAGGGOT!"
i do like that story! reminds of this time in high school i was waiting in line for lunch, and i was near a sort of glass, half room in the corner of the cafeteria that was probably originally reserved for teachers. nobody ever used it, but on this day, the rotc coach (?), an old white man in full uniform, was sitting alone in the very center, eating from a brown bag. he noticed some of us staring and mimed a little monkey dance, you know, scratching his armpits and all. i remember the black kids around me (as a rule, only black kids ate in the cafeteria) started to laugh and point him out to others standing in line. somehow all that pointing and laughing encouraged this old guy enough for him to continue and expand upon his little dance for those who were just joining in. i had to turn away. full uniform, medals and everything - it was one of the saddest things i'd ever seen.
This is good. This is good.
ReplyDeleteHere's a story you might enjoy. A child on a New Orleans party bus last week. I was standing on a street corner as this bus slowly navigated a turn, and an adorable gap-toothed little boy, about eleven years old, stuck his whole upper body out the window and grinned at me. I waved frantically and smiled a big goofy smile, and he began shrieking in glee, "FAGGOT! FAAAGGGOTTT!" Of course, I burst into laughter and began dancing around and waving even more enthusiastically. As the bus drove down the street, I could hear him continue yelling it while pointing delightedly. "FAAGGGGOT! FAAGGOT! FAAGGGOT!"
i do like that story! reminds of this time in high school i was waiting in line for lunch, and i was near a sort of glass, half room in the corner of the cafeteria that was probably originally reserved for teachers. nobody ever used it, but on this day, the rotc coach (?), an old white man in full uniform, was sitting alone in the very center, eating from a brown bag. he noticed some of us staring and mimed a little monkey dance, you know, scratching his armpits and all. i remember the black kids around me (as a rule, only black kids ate in the cafeteria) started to laugh and point him out to others standing in line. somehow all that pointing and laughing encouraged this old guy enough for him to continue and expand upon his little dance for those who were just joining in. i had to turn away. full uniform, medals and everything - it was one of the saddest things i'd ever seen.
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