White Folks Say Darndest Things To Me, by popular demand

Actually, only one person suggested I share this, but I have always wanted to say something of mine was requested" by popular demand."

While going to college supported by the G I Bill, I worked for a L.A. Times newspaper distributor to supplement my lifestyle. Okay, I delivered papers seven days a week from 2am-6 am in North San Diego County. One of my additional duties was to train new drivers.

One morning while driving around a newbie, we passed a snow ski equipment and instruction business. It had a mechanical training slope outside the front door.

Breaking the silence, my white trainee spoke out. " Now that's my sport. I love the slopes. Only thing I don't like is seeing blacks on the white stuff. They belong on the courts, not the mountains."

"Never desired to ski, although it looks like fun," I mumbled, just to see where the chat was going, but never letting on that I wasn't the Hispanic, Greek, Iranian, or whatever he assumed I was.

The conversation returned to the task at hand for the next couple of hours. I worked with him for two more days, and he was on his own.

Then one morning sometime later as all the drivers were tying up their papers and loading their vehicles while engaging in idle chatter, someone made a reference to my ethnicity. Speaking as the authority on all things black, I noticed the former trainee look up at me with an "Oh, shit!" look on his face. This was the moment I had been waiting for.

After his route, he aproached me. "Ron, dude, I'm sorry. I didn't.. I didn't know you were black."

"No problem. Lots of folks don't know that. It doesn't matter anyway." I tried to convince him, but he continued.

"It's just that you don't look black. I thought you were Mexican or something, and you don't talk black. You talk liberal."

I cut him off." And I show up for work on time, too. And I go to college, huh?"

We talked for a few minutes. I did my best to assure him that no harm was done. I cut the conversation short as I had to get home to shower before class.

"I'll see you in the morning at two," I said.

He stuck out his arm to offer a handshake, " Ron, you're pretty cool, dude."

"Duh. I 'm black." I smiled.