"Be Safe"
I say these words at least 20-50 times a day, depending upon the day. I work in our neighborhood's convenience store. Throughout the afternoon kids walking home from school, kids hanging out with their friends, senior citizens, moms and babies etc., walk up to the store. As I complete their transactions, I typically say, "Be Safe". The traffic up the main street into the neighborhood will push 25 miles to 45 real easy and looking for people, cats, other cars, is often an afterthought.
This week, the words "Be Safe" take on a different meaning. When I think of those words in context with conversations with other customers. Like the HOA president, who is thinking about moving because the "texture of the neighborhood has gone down". (I happen to love the texture, and the diversity that my son now gets to grow up in). "Katrina victims" is a code word for black among the few racists we have here. When the store was broken into I was asked, "Was it 'Katrina victims'?" I answered, "Does it matter?". I have seen these people watch, out of the corner of their eye as kids (kids I know really, really well) make their decisions. I have said, "It's okay, I know them" when they tell them there is "no loitering" (we don't have a rule like that at my store because there isn't a loitering problem) when they are selecting their snacks. And now I feel icky for feeling like I have to say that.
Today the words "Be Safe" to me feel like they should be changed to,"If you are black, come up here with a parent, carry your cell phone at all times, don't talk to strangers..." or sadly,"Only leave your house in an emergency." And that isn't right.
"Be Safe" should mean "look both ways before you cross the street", "stop putting liquid detergent in the front entry water fountain (although that's really funny)", and "be home when your mom says you should".
"Be Safe" should never mean, "the guy at the counter there, who's looking at you all suspicious, might follow you home in his car, whatever you do, don't make yourself an easy target..."
The thing that made me lose it over the Trayvon Martin story is what he had in his hands. A can of iced tea and Skittles. Arizona Ice Tea and Skittles/Starbursts/Snickers are our biggest sellers. Boys like Trayvon come in my store every day. And they should be safe.