Lucy interrupted his thoughts, “So you guys, what’s the time frame for all this to happen. How soon are you guys trying to get married?”
They both responded, “Soon.”
Everybody laughed.
Lucy asked, “How soon?”
Jasmine said, “As long as it takes me to plan it.”
Blake added, “She means as long as it takes my mother to plan it.”
Carmen was so happy for Blake and Jasmine. She found herself for the first time thinking of a future with Damon in a forever kind of way. Is that what she wanted? If she was honest it definitely was but she didn’t think it was what Damon wanted.
If he did it wasn’t anytime soon. They had a good thing and it was still so new. Even though it was like starting on the 100th date they shouldn’t rush into anything.
She didn’t want to mess it up by putting pressure on him. She thought he had to be playing when he asked her about moving in. She decided to table all that for now and just focus on Jasmine’s long overdue wedding.
Jasmine said, “I’m going to go call Alyssa and see if she can come over so we can tell her in person.”
Jasmine excused herself to make the call.
There was something else that was weighing on Carmen’s heart that she wanted to discuss with the group.
“Okay guys, since we are having a come to Jesus meeting as Jazzy would say there has been something bothering me.”
Damon asked with concern, “What is it baby girl?”
She smiled hearing Damon’s new pet name for her.
She sobered her face and said, “This is about to get real honest real quick so don’t judge me.”
They all nodded.
Jasmine walked back to the table and saw their serious faces.
She said, “Alyssa will be here in an hour. What did I miss?”
Carmen said, “I was a little bothered about that scene at the hospital when racial tension for the first time hit us hard. I know we recovered from it, but I’ve been feeling guilty as hell since Ahmed was attacked because even though I would never physically attack a person that wasn’t an immediate threat I do understand the aversion people have to that particular ethnicity. I know it’s wrong, but I’m just saying outside of Ahmed and his family I look at them sideways when I see them in public places.”
She held her breath as everyone processed her words.
Damon said, “I feel you on that, but because I’ve traveled all over the world and met so many different people race doesn’t bother me. Plus there was no racial tension in my home. Only in America is racism and prejudice so paramount.”
Jasmine said, “I don’t think profiling is wrong in all situations. In some cases it may save your life. What I have a problem with is people who react on their fear when they profile and cause innocent people to lose their life. If your common sense is telling you the situation is dangerous then walk away.”
Blake asked, “Okay, but what if you walk away and because you didn’t do anything about it innocent people are hurt?”
Damon said, “I’m with Jasmine on that because as a black man if you call in the authorities because you profiled me they are known for being trigger happy. I could lose my life over a misunderstanding because I looked like a threat. I’m not a fan of the po-po. I think most black men would agree.”
Jasmine said, “Yeah I’ve seen it with my dad and all my brothers. Black men are treated differently.”
Lucy chimed in, “With the exception of Blake, we are all minorities. We all deal with some type of profiling or pre-judging.”
Carmen said, “Oh, I profile, but I profile every doggone body. I mean if I see a group of bald head white men or some in trench coats I’m out.”
Lucy said, “If I see a group of black men standing around with gold teeth and their pants saggin’ I’m out.”
Jasmine said, “Ah hell after the economic crash in 2008 and all the Ponzi schemes men in blue tailored suits and red power ties are the new thugs. If I see a group of them chillin’ over coffee, I’m out.”
Everyone laughed.
Carmen said, “Okay, so what is the one thing that upsets you about how people judge you because of your race.”
Blake said, “People assume because I’m a white man that my life is perfect and every day I live a life of privilege which could not be further from the truth. Yes, my dad’s family had money but I think my mom and I would have forfeited it in order to not have gone through the pain that was in our home.”
Lucy confessed, “I hate it when people mistake me for Chinese, Japanese or Korean. They should just ask if they don’t know. I hate how people assume that I can only do nails just because I’m Vietnamese and that we are taking over. That’s just good business strategy to come in and saturate a market. It’s also good sense as a group of people to support one another and build a dynasty.”
Damon said, “Uh Luce, you do, do nails.”
They all laughed.
“Yes, but it’s not all I can do. It’s what I choose to do because I had experience in it from my parent’s salon. Why not make money off of a skill you have that’s in high demand. I am also a hair stylist and I get sick of black women coming into the salon and automatically avoiding my chair because I am the only non-black stylist in the shop. I can actually do hair just as good, if not better than the other stylists. Not to mention that I am part owner of my very own salon. I went to school and trained to do it.”
Carmen said, “I get tired of the slick comments about my citizenship by upset patrons or even my own staff. Every time someone has a problem with me that is the first attack they go to. I worked my butt off to run that restaurant. How do you get to assume I’m not a citizen just because I’m Mexican? Screw that. I was born here. I earned every single thing I have. I’m also sick of other Hispanic ethnicities looking at Mexicans like we are the bottom of the barrel. I speak correct English and I am a proud American, but I am also proud of my heritage. I don’t think I should have to choose between the two.”
Blake said, “Well Carmen, I get that you’re proud of your heritage. Because I’ve gotten to know you and your family I understand it and I can embrace it, but why do I have to press one for English and two for Spanish. I mean you’re in America and the language is English. You can’t go to other countries and expect them to change their standard because you made the choice to make it your home.”
Jasmine said, “That irks me too. As a black person when I’m around my family and other black friends the way we talk with all the slang and Ebonics most people would not understand it, but I don’t expect it to be a standardized language. When I’m dealing with other races or in a professional setting I speak correct English. That doesn’t make me less of a black person because I can speak well. We’re not saying don’t speak Spanish we’re just saying learn to speak English. If you’re a proud American, embrace all of it.”
Carmen said, “I agree with both of you. I’m actually fluent in Spanish. However, I understand this is the country I chose to live in. It doesn’t bother me but some Hispanics just don’t get that. I speak whatever language is appropriate for whatever situation I’m in. If I’m with my people and we’re speaking Spanish among ourselves don’t look at me crazy and think I’m wrong because you can’t understand me if I’m not talking to you.”
Jasmine said, “I see the injustices that are done to my race. I honestly hate when people try and say racism doesn’t exist and that it’s all in our imaginations. However, I am also not one of those black people who try to use racism as an excuse every time something doesn’t work out. It sucks that sometimes we have to work twice as hard as other races to get less. I wish we could come together and get over all of our infighting to stop being the race of consumers that keeps all other races in the money-making business and ours out. I hate how we put the weight of our entire race on a child that doesn’t know any better. Like if they mess up they are letting down an entire race. It’s not fair.”
Damon
said, “I feel you on that Jazzy.”
Blake said, “Uh, you’re not Black Damon.”
Damon chuckled, “You see Mr. White man, I don’t agree with that. Don’t get me wrong, I think my mom is beautiful and being exposed to her culture and family has made me a well-rounded person but when the world looks at me they see a black man. When I look at me I see a black man and I’m proud of that. What I’m sick of is that all of sudden we get a black prez and now people want to recognize him as biracial. Whatever happened to the one drop rule?”
Lucy asked, “What is the one drop rule?”
Jasmine responded, “It was a rule back in America’s less than politically correct days where if you had one drop of black blood in you, you were deemed black and therefore a second class citizen no matter what your skin tone looked like.”
Damon said, “Exactly. So bump it, I’m black. Don’t change the rule now because you want to believe that it’s not actually a black man in the white house.”
Blake said, “I don’t think that’s the rationale behind it. I just think maybe in this rapidly evolving world people are trying to embrace who they really are and move on from the ignorance of the past.”
Damon said, “Okay I can respect that. The world is evolving but if he himself considers himself a black man, who are we to argue with him? I mean it is his choice. That’s an issue I have as a biracial person. You don’t get to dictate to me which race I choose to embrace. You don’t get to criticize me if I choose to pick one over the other. Maybe I want to say I’m biracial. Maybe I want to say I’m white. Maybe I want to say I’m black, but look at my skin. If I say I’m white people gon be looking at me like I’m touched, delusional or have some kind of warped psychological issues of self-hate?”
Blake said, “I don’t think that everyone is a racist but I do think that everyone is prejudiced. We all clearly are. We just sat here and prejudged how many groups of people? I had to own up to my own assumptions about someone that I loved very deeply. Because of the world I live in and what I’ve been fed by whoever is controlling the conversation to the masses, I almost missed it.”
Jasmine grabbed Blake’s hand, “I think when it comes to racial issues you have to be careful about what’s being passed down from generation to generation. Thankfully we each had one parent with some sense because clearly my mom and his dad are racists. Now my mom is a closet one and his dad was open with it. I can respect that more. At least he was honest. I’m glad he’s changing, but you have to be careful about whose perception you allow into your heart even if the person is someone whose intentions are good towards you. Hate is not innate, it’s taught. No child knows how to hate. They have to be taught how to do that. So that burden lies on the ones who are there to shape their lives. We have to put all this foolishness to the side and just enjoy people because they are people.”
Carmen said, “You’re right Jazzy. We feel the way we feel or we fear what we fear because of what we are taught. If we would take the time to get to know everyone for ourselves and then make a decision about whether this is someone who should be in our lives the world would be in a much better place.”
Damon said, “That’s good in theory, but how are we gonna make it happen. It happens in this house because we’ve created this oasis but outside these walls it’s a different ball game.”
Lucy said, “I hear what you guys are saying. But there are some genuinely bad people that do play into the stereotypes out there. I don’t want to be made to feel like a racist because I’m letting common sense win out and walking away from a potentially harmful situation.”
Damon said, “I got two words for you why that is a dangerous combination. Trayvon Martin.”
Jasmine added, “Or Sean Bell.”
Carmen said, “It’s like a catch-22 right there. Where do you draw the line between personal safety and racial fear? Blake, I want to ask you as the only non-minority what issues you have, if any, where you think white people get the short end of the stick?”
Blake said, “Well if your people keep making babies I’m not gonna be the majority anymore.” They laughed. “Seriously, one of the things that genuinely bother me is affirmative action. I get why it was started but I don’t feel like it’s relevant now-a-days. I mean everyone is afforded the same opportunities. Should we even still be talking about it?”
“See let me stop you right there,” Damon said. “Affirmative action was designed to help qualified minorities. It’s still not fair out there. Yes, it’s a lot better than it was but black people are disproportionately affected in almost everything. Now it’s too many black people out there living their lives, being educated and moving forward in the American dream for people to say, they’re all lazy and don’t do anything. True, there are some who won’t help themselves but that’s in every race not just black people. To suppress a whole race to the proportions that the black race is suppressed you gotta consider the system at large. Just like black people of today have been disadvantaged by the racism of the past, today’s white people are the beneficiaries of the racist system of yesterday. The remnants of the past still remain and still have impact today.”
Blake said, “Okay, but how long are white people going to be punished for something that was done decades ago. I’m not responsible for enslaving your people so why am I the one who gets burdened with the fallout. Why do you assume I’m a racist just because I’m white? White people don’t own the patent on being racists. Other people can be racist as well.”
Jasmine joined in, “The sins of the father.”
Carmen asked, “Meaning?”
Jasmine responded, “The bible says you reap what you sow. The world would call it karma. So look at it this way. I can’t say as a black person I’m for or against affirmative action. I understand the purpose and I agree with Damon the playing field is not quite level so it may still be needed. But no matter what you do karma will one day come for its due. If you die before you have reaped what you have sown then it falls to your children. This is why we have to be so careful about what we do and how we treat people. We can never know the depth or the reach of the ramifications.”
Lucy said, “That’s food for thought.”
Jasmine added, “I know y’all aren’t bible readers but there is a story in there that is relevant. I’ll break it down for y’all. So you got this couple right, Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a child even though they were old and her eggs was powdered by this point. He was in his seventies and she was in like her sixties I believe.”
They laughed.“
The promise took 25 years. So he didn’t have the promised kid until he was like 100. During this wait Sarah was like dude this ain’t gon happen so why don’t you go on in there with my hand maiden, Hagar, and put it down one good time so we can get this kid and keep it moving.”
Everyone was tickled by Jasmine’s updated version of the story.
“Then Abraham knocked her up. The kid, Ishmael, is like twelve now and wifey starts to trip. Abraham bonded with him because he loved his kid. Then the promise finally comes to past and Isaac is born. So wifey is like dude, this baby mama of yours is getting on my nerves. I’m tired of her and her kid clowning my son with all this nonsense. Put her and the little bastard y’all made out. He will not be joint heir with my baby.”
Lucy said, “Jasmine you are crazy. The bible does not say that!”
She laughed, “I promise y’all this is how it went down. So anyways, Abraham is all heartbroken like God, seriously, this is my kid and I love him. God told him to do what his wife said to do because the promise was in the seed he bore with Sarah not Hagar. So he put his kid and his baby mama out the house with like a loaf of bread and a bottle of water. So baby mama is out there in the desert bout to leave the kid to die because she doesn’t want to watch him die once the food and water runs out. But God sent an angel that told her its gon be alright boo. I got you and your kid. I’m gonna make him great because he is still Abraham’s son. He will be a gr
eat nation. So you know the Lord provided for her and her kid.”
Blake said, “Baby you are silly.”
“For real I have a point, just listen. So like because Abraham did not wait on God for his promise but took matters into his own hands, or rather his own loins Ishmael and Isaac were fighting all throughout the bible and still to this day all that conflict over there in the middle east is Ishmael and Isaac fighting over the birthright land because Ishmael was the first born but Isaac was the promised son.”
Damon said, “Now that’s deep.”
Jasmine said, “I’m not saying it’s right but there are consequences to our actions. Sometimes it’s just karma coming back around and innocent people get stuck in the cross hairs because no matter how much good you do in the world you cannot stop karma from coming to collect. Treat people right because your children may have to repay the debt of your sins.”
The doorbell rang interrupting their philosophical discussion. Blake got up to answer the door. Alyssa came in carrying a beautiful three-year old spitting image of herself. The little girl’s explosion of blonde curls framed her cherub face.
Jasmine said, “Oh my goodness Alyssa she is so beautiful. What’s her name?”
“Her name is Samantha.”
Carmen said, “Please come in and have a seat.”
Alyssa obliged and held Samantha in her lap.
Jasmine said, “Well, we brought you here because we wanted to offer you an opportunity.”
Color Me Blind (A Divine Love Story Book 1) Page 26