I've been taking the bus lately to and from campus. Sometimes people talk. Sometimes people just stay to themselves. I remember that day I had to get home so I could run downtown to an event. I hate sitting on the benches. I prefer to sit in the chairs that face forward on the bus. That day I started out sitting on a bench in the back of the bus, but when I got a chance, I changed seats so I could sit facing forward. It was closer to the front of the bus.
There were about 3 Black women having a good time, talking and sharing stories after work. I sat right behind them. Their conversation turned to the Olympic games and of course to China.
Woman 1: I don't know how those athletes are eating.
Woman 2: I love my moo shu pork though.
Woman 1: mm-mmm, I don't eat nothing in those Chinese restaurants other than shrimp. At least I know what it is.
Woman 3: Oh yea, that's true, you never know what that mystery meat is, when it's all covered in that pink or brown sauce. They could say chicken, beef, or pork, but it all looks the same all chopped up to me. You don't know what it is.
Woman 2: There's a reason why there's never a rat, cat or dog in Westwood.
Woman 1: That's right. You never know. That's why I only order shrimp. It could be rats, cats, and dogs... you know how they eat.
Woman 2: My cousin was in the military over in Japan and he ordered some food, and he says he swears it was a whole rat just split down the middle. You could still see the tail coming off the plate.
Woman 1 was looking straight at me when they said all this. I was looking straight at her, making my "Come on! Are you serious?" face. She kept laughing with the other ladies, whose backs were to me. That familiar tense feeling took over my stomach, back, and chest. Do I say something? Do I let it go? What do I do? It's not like they were being quiet with their conversation. It was loud and the whole bus could hear. I decided to go up to Woman 1 right before I got off the bus to say something polite and respectful.
OK, it's about 2 blocks from my stop now. My hands started getting sweaty and tingly. Just breathe. Here I go. I'm walking up to Woman 1.
Me: Excuse me. I couldn't help overhearing what you were saying earlier. I just wanted to say that I don't eat rat, cat or dog. Matter of fact, I don't know any Chinese person who eats that kind of thing, and it was a bit offensive what you were saying.
Woman 1: Ok. It was an inside conversation.
Woman 2: I'm sorry. We didn't mean to offend you.
Me: Thank you. It's just things you were saying were prejudice things I grew up hearing and having to deal with. They're painful things you were saying.
Woman 2: We're sorry.
Me: Thanks.
I sat back down and waited for the bus to stop at my corner. I'm glad I said something, but come on, really? It was a personal insider conversation? So that made it ok for you to knowingly say some racist crap within earshot of me? You were 5 feet away from me, and we made eye contact. Would it have been ok if I'd been joking about Black people (which I never do) five feet from you , but then say it was insider personal conversation I was having? We made eye contact.
Keep breathing. I walked off the bus, and kept breathing.
