Wednesday, March 13, 2013

(This was originally written on election day...) There's always a conversation... While no one has yet to come up to me and say "You tell his mother..." (I'm so WAITING for that!), I have gotten a few remarks. The latest today came at the polling station. My district is primarily Latino and black, so when I walk in with my large pink baby in a stroller, it draws a bit of attention. I like to think that they are initially stunned by how adorable he is... but then they do look at me, and it goes from how cute my son is to, "how the hell did THIS happen?" "He looks like his father, right?" I tell them how he actually is the near spitting image of my Danish grandmother...and it begins. It starts with the 'REally?" and then continues into their family history. Today, it was the lady who mentioned how her sister is the only one in the family with red hair and freckles... There is always somethin'... Peace --Alex

posted by funkweee @ 10:27 AM 0 comments

Okay, how can I have NOT known about this: The race card project. It is fantastic and a great way to continue the conversation. My six words: I just thought I tanned better. Take a look, add your own card, continue the conversation. Peace --Alex

posted by funkweee @ 10:25 AM 0 comments

It finally happened - part deux

So I'm on the upper west side, as Trader Joe's has yet to go any father north than 72nd Street in NYC. The boy and I do our shopping, I get to the register, and, as I unload my groceries, M. at the counter looks down at Ben and says "How long have you been with him? Since birth, huh?" It's official. Someone not just thought I was the nanny. They said it out loud. Sadly, I had no clever comeback other than, "Well, yeah, I'm his mom..." to which she replied, mildly embarrassed. "Oh, man..I love race...you just never know..." For anyone who reads this and thinks that I dealt with some ignorant white woman, you'd be wrong. The lady at the counter was Latina. And mind you, while you see more actual moms than nannies than say, on the upper EAST side, you still have to go with the fact that I am a brown woman running around with a PINK child. And she is working at a store in a neighborhood where most likely more than half the babies that come in there are being brought in by nannies rather than their mothers. And those nannies, more often than not are black or brown ladies leading around white children. It's all too easy to jump to the conclusion. Heck, as I have written before, I have been WAITING for this to happen, and am pretty darn sure more people than not, think I'm the nanny. Personally, I cannot wait to take Ben to Scandinavia House for Scandinavian culture classes for toddlers. Facebook friends responded in a range from livid to clever. They all inspired the comeback I hope to use if it happens again: "Dammit! I did it again. All these strollers look a like. EXCUSE ME, WHO'S GOT MINE?!?" On to the next adventure... Peace -_Alex

posted by funkweee @ 10:16 AM 0 comments