He Has My Back
@ McDonald's
North East, MD
December 2016
As a result of hanging with teenagers for 30 years, I am in the habit of talking to every teenager who enters into my line of vision. I greet them. I try to engage them in conversation and I often lose sight of the fact that they mostly have no interest in me. But too bad; I'm talking to them.
So tonight, there are three black boys who look to me to be about middle school age. It's cold outside and the smallest of the boys is wearing shorts.
"How cold does it have to be before you wear long pants?" I ask him.
"Huh?" he responds. He looks me up and down and gives me a suspicion look. I've seen this look before. He wants to know why an old, white woman is talking to him.
"Do you put on long pants when it snows?"
"Yea".
"Not me, I am never warm enough. I wear long pants even in the summer. It's funny how we can all be so different, isn't it." My conversation ends because I'm called up to the counter to give my order. I take my cup of coffee and head over to the side counter, "Well, nice talking to you. Stay warm," I tell him and move on.
He comes over to me and shouts, "Miss, Miss."
"What's up?" I asked him.
"You forgot your change. You forgot your dollar," and he points to the counter where his two friends are standing guard over this singular bill.
"You are a person of integrity", I tell him. "That speaks highly of you. Thanks for having my back".
@ McDonald's
North East, MD
December 2016
As a result of hanging with teenagers for 30 years, I am in the habit of talking to every teenager who enters into my line of vision. I greet them. I try to engage them in conversation and I often lose sight of the fact that they mostly have no interest in me. But too bad; I'm talking to them.
So tonight, there are three black boys who look to me to be about middle school age. It's cold outside and the smallest of the boys is wearing shorts.
"How cold does it have to be before you wear long pants?" I ask him.
"Huh?" he responds. He looks me up and down and gives me a suspicion look. I've seen this look before. He wants to know why an old, white woman is talking to him.
"Do you put on long pants when it snows?"
"Yea".
"Not me, I am never warm enough. I wear long pants even in the summer. It's funny how we can all be so different, isn't it." My conversation ends because I'm called up to the counter to give my order. I take my cup of coffee and head over to the side counter, "Well, nice talking to you. Stay warm," I tell him and move on.
He comes over to me and shouts, "Miss, Miss."
"What's up?" I asked him.
"You forgot your change. You forgot your dollar," and he points to the counter where his two friends are standing guard over this singular bill.
"You are a person of integrity", I tell him. "That speaks highly of you. Thanks for having my back".
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