Re: Demographic surprise!

[Guest guest]

When I went to bed last night I thought ab how many 'people of color" I had any meaningful connection with n came up w/an amazing insight. I am almost 83 n here is the list:

1. Age 1-4. Gardner, my Grandpa King's chauffeur. I adored him n always ran in to the kitchen to climb on his lap n hug him. I think he liked me, too.

2. Age 17!! Having grwn up in Europe no opp to meet any. Summ vac in Calif,. Rhoda, cook for Gr King. She was ab 4 yrs older than I. We were to go to movie together. My mother weighed the matter, but I hotly insisted n so we did.

3.Age 27. My parents settled in Newprt, RI n had a black cl woman, kind n warm w/2 of my little ones when I visited. Then later a lovely, younger, self-possessed woman, Geneva, who succeeded the first.

5. Age 40. WH i taught 6th grade in a small Episcopal school on Long Island. , a stocky cheerful black boy with a great sense of humor, very bright.

6. A scary encounter in a subway in NYC wh I was walking alone. A young male was about to mug me wh a grp of people turned the corner.

7. Have had 2 black clients, here at Rosecroft, both highly intell, educated, n creative men.

A total of 8!

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This comes as a shock to me n must surprise any Southerner on J-F! Granted, my whole childhood was spent mostly abroad n I wld have been considered a WASP [except for the large dollop of Celt!] but I feel cheated somehow. I cert grew up w/out prejudice n am grateful for the prominence of African Amers in world affairs, lit, entertainment, n in the many ads depicting them. But I still have difficulty grasping that I can count the small number that I have known pers on the fingers of my two hands!

I wonder ab the response of others on j-f?

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Glad, Mir, that yr future is taking shape!

much love

ao