I smiled at the girl behind the counter as I entered the shop… Ah! I saw something that I think would fit me perfectly and went directly to the display. As I was rummaging through the selections, an uninviting tone of voice from behind suddenly spoke making me jump, “Can I help you?”
I turned around, almost too quickly! She was just inches away from me and if I didn’t maintain equilibrium as I turned upon hearing that distasteful tone of hers, there would be a serious kissing moment there… Smackaroo!!!!
“Uhmm… no thank you! I’m just browsing through.” I gave her my ever so adorable smile and carried on with my browsing. Right, what colour should I try?
Hold on one second! Why, oh why do I feel that my back is burning? Am I in flames or is someone gaping at me so darn fiercely that it somehow feels like she’s looking right through me and at the same time burning a hole on my abdomen! I could sense her power! The girl behind the counter was looking intently at me like a hawk waiting to pounce on its prey! Any wrong move and it will be the end for the prey…
I turned my head to look for the girl, but she’s not behind the counter but instead she’s just few steps away from where I stood.
Hello there little irritating girl! How may I ASSIST YOU? There are other clientele besides me you know! You don’t have to stand there like a mannequin and watched fixedly at me! I mean, I know I’m stunning, I know I’m out of your mind exquisite and charming and just look so first-rate in what I’m wearing, but please, go gawk at someone else! I’ll call upon you if I need anything! So, at the moment, do you mind like leaving me alone so that I can get on with my browsing without having you gaping at me like a ravenous predator? I’m not going help myself from your shop if that’s what you’re thinking! I know how your mind works you know! This isn’t the first time I encounter something like this – shop assistant/owner fixing their eyes on me intensely! I’m not as dense as you think I am!
Just for the reason that my skin colour is brown and not as pale as yours and I have a pair of lovely pouty lips, big brown eyes and not slanty as yours and not to forget my striking silky original volumnise hair compared to your straight un-volumnise (if there’s such a word) so called hair of yours, doesn’t mean that I should be scrutinized like a lawbreaker… Anyway, do I look like a common shoplifter to you? Does my dress sense put in your picture that I’m at the end of my tether to actually take something, anything, from your shop? What’s so unbelievable out of this world about your shop anyway?
And now you’re shadowing me like a sick puppy? When is this nightmare going to end? All I’m doing is just browsing through your – I have to say, lovely & tasteful selection here and in point of fact contemplating of splashing out on something from your modest yet diminutive shop, but after this performance… pooo weee! You can stuff your selections up your arse coz this girl ain’t interested any longer!
“Uhhh! Hey look! Brown person! She’s gonna steal something from us, I can feel it in my bones, so keep an eye on her okay! Don’t let her out of your sight! Make sure you eye her up with your life! Don’t let the nice outfit she put on pull the wool over your eyes of her MAIN intention of entering this shop!"
Over my adult years of living in this pernickety infinitesimal Island I called HOME (which I should not mentioned where), every boutique or shop in this Island that I’ve ever been to, the treatment that I get is on the whole, analogous! Except if I’m with my hubby, who is British and white or when I’m with a friend who is not brown like I am but of other different colour and ethnic group, then will I be left alone and just take no notice of coz I’m not with other BROWN people.
Now, tell me then, what do you call this if not racial discrimination?
Are we BROWN folks regard as SECOND CLASS citizen/inhabitant in this Island? When will this narrow-mindedness end? Are we really that appalling? Do we portray ourselves as indolent, a waste of time, a waste of space, nauseating, doomed to failure individuals with no aspiration, no desire and no future? Will we ever prove to them that they are wide of the mark? Will we ever make possible to let them see that we are as respectable as they think they are, as hardworking and as conscientious as they are, as sagacious as they can be, as honourable and worthy as they assume they are – or can we be better, greater and more powerful, more forceful than they can ever envisage, Not some feeble, defenceless insignificant person they think we are!
I postulate it’s now up to our Next Future Generation to make the difference… To revolutionize the so call ‘intellect’ of them lot who put us down from generation to generation! Its time for us to make a difference and fight back to get the respect, the value that has vanished from our society, our culture…
We must stand up en masse hand in hand and get on our feet to attain this triumph not by war, not by discriminating, not by hate but by proving to them of our worthiness – that we do play an immense part in making this Island recognized & prosperous - academically, religiously, as a successful businessman or women… a famous actor/actress, singer, Celebrated Artist, a Prominent Writer… whatever it takes for them to take notice of our existence…
We are all survivors & we will make it!
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4 comments:
Oh my, oh my...! We keep getting stereotyped, don't we. And here I was, just sweating about the arrested bloggers' text. Some people can be really bitter, really cold, really hateful... it's like, as though it's personal, when the truth is, they really don't know who we are in person to judge us the way they do.
Hartini: Sigh! Unfortunately we can't ever escape from stereotype people even in this modern days when we think that people should be more broad minded! Not everyone is like what I mention but sad that majority are like that... Like they always say, never judge aa book by it's cover and first impression doesn't count!
Madness: Sad but true isn't it? They will only interested in you if you have the dosh (money) or famous but otherwise, you'll always be scrutinize! :(
Sometimes fame doesn't matter either. I'm talking about Oprah's experience in Paris a few months ago when some boutique closed the doors on her. I thought she was just imagining it, until a friend told me that in Paris it's worse...
Choco! To do The Julia Roberts Scene first thing first - Lose those pounds, get myself a nice long pair of legs, get a wig - curls with red colour and micro mini skirt... That will do! And noto to forget those knee high boots to fit into those beautiful slender long legs!!!
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