Some Personally Baffling Happenings
My friend's mother asked: "Why are there so many blacks here?" as we were taking the subway ride to one of our destinations during their most recent, first time tour here in New York city with someone they knew back from the Philippines. Well, I'm far from being baffled actually why there are so many dark skinned people here in NYC. I myself is colored skinned, being lovely browned skinned and getting always noticed, and positively remarked for it. Perhaps, it's just the way some people look down at some people who look differently than they are. My friend, with his Mom, being Filipino Chinese themselves just couldn't helped themselves getting overwhelmed with the diversity, the richness of the experience of seeing, actually seeing ordinarily looking, yet magnificently attired people (by virtue of their attitude) of different skin colors here in NYC, most especially in the subway. They actually refused to take the subway initially, as they have heard bad things about it [Personally, I've observed that people I've known to have refused to take the subway here in NYC, are sadly racists, & they're missing a lot of good fun]. I told myself that they got no other option but to take the subway, as they've been to other metropolitan cities, including Hong Kong, Tokyo themselves, and they've experienced how it is to be confronted with the huge number of people in these cities. So, I just egged them on to take the subway, which I was grateful they agreed to take just because I was leading them to it.
Now, I figure out it's the experience of seeing a lot, really a lot of different hues of skin color that really baffles them, & they're confronted with their usual notions about combinations, and their unverbalized beliefs that anything different from their own color is "below" their class. Apparently, there are other people of different color, and they're actually better looking than they are. I was just saying this thing to myself, as I look different from their own skin color. But I figured out my friend and his mom have gone beyond the surface, as they say. Well, traveling allows you to see things differently, and get to meet people in a more convenient, yet not as threatening way.
But I had some threatening, though not exactly in a direct manner, for an experience from a number of unique experiences here in NYC. Once, I was rushing to have a meal prior to watching an off-broadway show, and I figured I have to have a meal so that I could enjoy the show better. I thought a Chinese restaurant, with its usual fast service would serve my purpose, and I ordered my usual beef with brown rice package. I noted some customers were for some quaint reasons were standing just in front of the counter, & there were at least 2 customers seated enjoying their meals in the single 4-seater table. I told the counter that I'd take my package "here," & I saw the eyes of the women customers. Soon, I realized, I'd be sharing the table with 2 homeless, really dirty looking homeless fellows. They're actually of different levels, one is a LOT dirtier, while the other's just more cleaner. One's black, the other's hispanic. I figured out they would be gone by the time my order arrives. But of course, these Chinese restaurants cook and serve fast, so before I knew it, I had my food package with me. I told myself I had to play a good Christian. I took a LOT of courage to be seated with them, and just proceeded to eat my food. The black guy's having chicken legs, and his fingers were just so dirty. I could not remember what the hispanic guy's having. But sure, all of us were hungry and ready to consume our food, no matter what. I noted here in NYC, at least, I see people are generally much more egalitarian in ways and attitudes, as long as you pay yourself through it, with your own, hard earned money. But that time, honestly, I just wanna puke.
And I move on to a similar experience again in the subway, where another friend and myself have just got in from a broadway show. It wasn't that late, so the train's crowded. But a lane was filled up by a single, huge lady, and she was having her dinner. It's in Styrofoam, and she's eating chicken (if I recall it right). The sight's just too much; my friend motioned to me to move out of the space, and just choose to stand, than be seated right in front of that lady. My friend just could not stand the site. By this time, I must have seen a lot of similar scenes. I thought to myself, I have to protect myself for whatever reason. My senses have been gradually deadened.
Now, I figure out it's the experience of seeing a lot, really a lot of different hues of skin color that really baffles them, & they're confronted with their usual notions about combinations, and their unverbalized beliefs that anything different from their own color is "below" their class. Apparently, there are other people of different color, and they're actually better looking than they are. I was just saying this thing to myself, as I look different from their own skin color. But I figured out my friend and his mom have gone beyond the surface, as they say. Well, traveling allows you to see things differently, and get to meet people in a more convenient, yet not as threatening way.
But I had some threatening, though not exactly in a direct manner, for an experience from a number of unique experiences here in NYC. Once, I was rushing to have a meal prior to watching an off-broadway show, and I figured I have to have a meal so that I could enjoy the show better. I thought a Chinese restaurant, with its usual fast service would serve my purpose, and I ordered my usual beef with brown rice package. I noted some customers were for some quaint reasons were standing just in front of the counter, & there were at least 2 customers seated enjoying their meals in the single 4-seater table. I told the counter that I'd take my package "here," & I saw the eyes of the women customers. Soon, I realized, I'd be sharing the table with 2 homeless, really dirty looking homeless fellows. They're actually of different levels, one is a LOT dirtier, while the other's just more cleaner. One's black, the other's hispanic. I figured out they would be gone by the time my order arrives. But of course, these Chinese restaurants cook and serve fast, so before I knew it, I had my food package with me. I told myself I had to play a good Christian. I took a LOT of courage to be seated with them, and just proceeded to eat my food. The black guy's having chicken legs, and his fingers were just so dirty. I could not remember what the hispanic guy's having. But sure, all of us were hungry and ready to consume our food, no matter what. I noted here in NYC, at least, I see people are generally much more egalitarian in ways and attitudes, as long as you pay yourself through it, with your own, hard earned money. But that time, honestly, I just wanna puke.
And I move on to a similar experience again in the subway, where another friend and myself have just got in from a broadway show. It wasn't that late, so the train's crowded. But a lane was filled up by a single, huge lady, and she was having her dinner. It's in Styrofoam, and she's eating chicken (if I recall it right). The sight's just too much; my friend motioned to me to move out of the space, and just choose to stand, than be seated right in front of that lady. My friend just could not stand the site. By this time, I must have seen a lot of similar scenes. I thought to myself, I have to protect myself for whatever reason. My senses have been gradually deadened.
Comments