Another poignant barbershop moment today.
I get my hair cut by a black man who has a shop in a small suburban community that is affuent and almost all white. He's in his late 30s with several children of various ages. He has operated his shop in the same place since 1995. We were talking about dogs when he made this comment paraphrased below: It's funny about white folks with dogs, man. You know I got kids, I've been had kids. And as many times as I've walked around here with my kids, nobody has ever said anything to me about my children. But if I have a dog with me? Man, I can't tell you how many white people come up to me and want to see the dog, talk to the dog, pet the dog. They will cross the street to come see this dog. I'm telling you, man, we could go outside right now and do an experiment, keep a tally and everything. It's true. All these people want to come see the dog. And I'm like, I have some pretty cute kids, too.
20 Comments
A.W.
1/20/2013 08:20:49 am
I've noticed that in my 30s I've gotten much more comfortable engaging with strangers' children, whether I'm on public transit or just walking around. Mostly affirming comments that back up the parents ("Okey doke, let's get you back up on the seat there like your mama wants.") or comment on something neat the child is wearing or doing.
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Tina Burris
1/20/2013 09:39:17 am
LOL! Man, I'm a white woman in my forties and I do not care for children. I did not like kids when I was a kid, so why should I like them now. I don't goo goo gah gah over ANYONE'S kids, but show me a dog and I will talk baby talk all day long!!!!!!
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grandma
1/21/2013 12:28:20 am
Maybe we could use this anecdote, and the responses thus far, as a chance to think about community-building, and ask ourselves: What does that mean today? What would it look like? What would it take to make it happen? How would we each personally benefit?
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4/9/2013 10:01:46 pm
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7/15/2013 10:02:01 pm
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7/16/2013 03:32:49 pm
Its little funny but if you think you may get it useful. He described a true point in his own manner. Probably, He may have seen many persons looking for dogs.
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7/16/2013 06:18:18 pm
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7/24/2013 10:36:50 pm
I liked the black man in your post very much. He has said a truth about white folks. But what I liked the most is the way he said that. I feel lot of innocents in that words and it made me smile too. Thanks for sharing the post. Keep updating.
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9/18/2013 09:23:43 pm
Black people generally wouldn't be as hype over the pet, so it's unusual to us. Many white people tend to love animals almost more than they love human beings.
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10/21/2013 01:05:17 am
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10/25/2013 05:50:13 pm
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11/19/2013 01:40:52 pm
Though beauty gives you a weird sense of entitlement, it's rather frightening and threatening to have others ascribe such importance to something you know you're just renting for a while.
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AuthorJesse Washington is a Senior Writer for ESPN's TheUndefeated.com Archives
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