Eek, Gate. Second Zenny's sentiment.
On my news in Austin, I really love sharing (whether anyone responds or not) how awesome it is being black, because people always try to locate you. I've been called Ethiopian, Nigerian, Haitian, Jamaican, Kenyan. "DNA test says my maternal side is from Cameroon." After my awesome chat with Gayatri Spivak, I feel comfortable with my reservation: who the fuck cares. I'd quote her, but... no.
Anyway. Point. On bus to go get free bus pass. Asian man sits next to me. OK, whatevs. Used to proximity, being from Atlanta and definitely coming from Boston. But he turns to me and talks to me the entire time, explaining that he is Nippon (?)/Japanese and he finds me so attractive, am I Haitian. Then I say I'm from Georgia, to which he understood Georgia as a country and not the state. Then he says am I African, he means African, and I say no I'm from the United States. Then he says oh, ok, I don't see many black women who embrace their natural beauty here and I think you're beautiful. My bus stop was three points away; I say: "Thank you so much," and keep looking out the window only to feel dirty rubbing passed him to get off the bus. What a weird, weird, weeeeeeeeird (AUSTIN, WEIRD, OMG) experience. People don't normally keep going. And ps, Austin asians are p. cool, tattood out the wazoo.
EDIT:
another weird moment
take roland out to poo, neighborhood black cat that lounges in apt courtyard came batting at Roland. Cat is black. Cat looks just like Jack (my black cat). Roland is confused. I swat the cat away with my hand and it keeps coming. SO. I run Roland around to back patio, open gate, close gate, cat is trying to hop over my fence to get into back patio. I just bought some motherfucking corrector spray and I am not afraid of cat scratches (-hits bicep- once separated Jack from an outside cat fight), put Roland inside and ran in to get the spray, followed that cat to no end with corrector spray. debating on letting Jack outside, but nope. Nope! CALM DOWN. Will just report to management property; people never seem to take aggressive cats seriously over aggressive dogs. And Roland was just batshit confused, but thankfully only a shallow slice on his nozzle.
Day 8 almost over. I have to cook.