Memories

It was sometime in December of 2006. I was with my YEP (Youth Employment Program) group and someone was asking me which "public school" I went to. I wasn't sure what they meant since ALL the schools I went to were, by definition, "public schools". So I named all the ones I remember, or only my High School. I don't remember fully now. I eventually understood that they meant ELEMENTARY school. So I was all, "Ohh, you mean elementary school," and gave them names.

Suddenly, I'm being told that I need to learn to "talk like them." What? I was so thrown by that. I didn't know what to say.

The following is what I wish I did say:

Me: I'll just bite my tongue instead of yours.
Her: What's that supposed to mean?
Me: Fine, let me put it in LOW mans' terms: I'm not gunna say anythin' 'cause I don' wan' no trouble.
Her: Excuse me?
Me: What? You said I gotsta talk like dis.
Her: *Probably seething right now.*
Me: Waz wrong? You said I gotta talk like dis. I mean, I used to talk like a foo' when I wuz younger, but den I decided not to sound all ignant. Ya know?

And I probably would have gotten in trouble. But it would have been well worth it. I mean, come on! Just because you're an ignorant fuck doesn't mean everyone else has to be one too. Honestly, this is supposed to be a professional environment: EDUCATE YOURSELF.

And then they wonder why people still call them "nigger"*.

People these days.


* Nigger: Racial insult towards people of dark skin; meaning: ignorant.