Racism: still alive and well (too deep for the lounge?) [View All]

[Bouncy Ball]

I was at the mall today. There was this guy who looked to be in his early 20s, and he kept trying to walk up to people and ask them something. They would veer around him quickly and sort of shoo him off.

I wondered what he was trying to ask, as he didn't look like he was selling anything or taking a survey, so I walked over to him.

Turns out, he's here visiting from Kenya and couldn't find the shop he was looking for in the mall (he had to meet his friends there). His English was really rough, but I did understand "Foley's" and his explanation of how he got lost.

We told him which way to go. Now, why wouldn't anyone help him? He didn't look dangerous or crazed or anything. He was dressed nicely. Very polite. But everyone I saw took one glance and went alllll the way the hell around him. I swear, just out of sociological curiosity I wanted to ask all of them, were you just in a hurry? Did you think he was selling something? Did you just avoid him as a reaction or what?

It also made me wonder if I'VE ever done that. :-( When we won't even stop to help each other with a simple request, we're lost.