I am in Tyler, Texas. Home of the famous Tyler Roses... Hotel is sub-par, not barely livable, but.. It has it's issues. There are people who were left homeless by the recent wrath of Mother Nature residing here. Particularity Katrina. Now, mind you, that is not what makes the hotel sub-par... It's difficult to find 5 star accommodations in the "rural" areas of the State. My work travels throughout the great State of Texas, often leave me, speechless. Often, my appearance, coupled with my choice of words, as well as my use of the King's English throws people off. So often I get, "yue aint from 'roun 'hear. r u?" I take them as 1) upiddity ass nic'a. 2) who da hell do you think you are? 3) utter surprise, like some how, my locks are a badge of ignorance. Either way, I find it insulting... Anyway, the relocation of the those persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina, seemingly have left "folk" in these parts with a very bad taste in their mouths..... And I, a traveling professional, work hard at not personalizing things and using the race card.... Especially when I have to pay using the Mastercard with the State of Texas seal on it.... Along with my agency... Along with my name... I can hear it now.... So as I waited in on two occasions in two different restaurants for twenty minutes each time... I found myself swallowing curt comments and sarcastic comments after spying that I was one of few beautifully tinted mocha faces in each establishment... I bargained with the idea that they were busy, they were training people, they were new, they were preoccupied, having a bad day, sorting things out...... Anything other than what it seemingly appeared. Each time, when I was finally waited upon, I smiled, ordered my food, ate and left a nice tip... Even chit - chatted... However, my patience ran out an hour ago.... There is no real fcking cable..... And guess what? No one seems to know why, other than more than half the hotel guests are not paying for rooms, and fema has not paid them according to the front desk clerk (I over heard them talking and complaining about the "guests")... Thank God, I'm in Dallas tomorrow... Renaissance here I come...E. Zora Knight
2006-03-20
Tyler, Texas... Home of the Roses..
I am in Tyler, Texas. Home of the famous Tyler Roses... Hotel is sub-par, not barely livable, but.. It has it's issues. There are people who were left homeless by the recent wrath of Mother Nature residing here. Particularity Katrina. Now, mind you, that is not what makes the hotel sub-par... It's difficult to find 5 star accommodations in the "rural" areas of the State. My work travels throughout the great State of Texas, often leave me, speechless. Often, my appearance, coupled with my choice of words, as well as my use of the King's English throws people off. So often I get, "yue aint from 'roun 'hear. r u?" I take them as 1) upiddity ass nic'a. 2) who da hell do you think you are? 3) utter surprise, like some how, my locks are a badge of ignorance. Either way, I find it insulting... Anyway, the relocation of the those persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina, seemingly have left "folk" in these parts with a very bad taste in their mouths..... And I, a traveling professional, work hard at not personalizing things and using the race card.... Especially when I have to pay using the Mastercard with the State of Texas seal on it.... Along with my agency... Along with my name... I can hear it now.... So as I waited in on two occasions in two different restaurants for twenty minutes each time... I found myself swallowing curt comments and sarcastic comments after spying that I was one of few beautifully tinted mocha faces in each establishment... I bargained with the idea that they were busy, they were training people, they were new, they were preoccupied, having a bad day, sorting things out...... Anything other than what it seemingly appeared. Each time, when I was finally waited upon, I smiled, ordered my food, ate and left a nice tip... Even chit - chatted... However, my patience ran out an hour ago.... There is no real fcking cable..... And guess what? No one seems to know why, other than more than half the hotel guests are not paying for rooms, and fema has not paid them according to the front desk clerk (I over heard them talking and complaining about the "guests")... Thank God, I'm in Dallas tomorrow... Renaissance here I come...
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7 comments:
Sis, be strong be strong be strong.
dont let their stupidity bring you down! keep your head up, shake them locs and keep doing you!
dont let em stress ya! call me when you can - june is looking quite bleak, no word from Deb :(
i would tell u to be strong but... i already know u are. your life and writing is one of the ropes at my waist that pulls at me to keep goin and tryin. love ya
Yeah 13, be strong. At the same time, dont take shit you dont deserve (as much as it doesnt endanger your life as you are there alone). In STL, the racism is more overt like that. Dates and I often got seated at the back, waited for long times, were seated at tables with water puddles, date referred to as "what will you be having son." Have walked out of many a place. Have been pulled over many a time to be asked if I was there on my own will and such. I am sorry you have to be reminded today of the f'ed up state of our society. Just get to Dallas.
As a sista with locs too, I will say that I definitely feel the irritation. I get tired of people staring, asking, attempting to touch. Don't get me wrong, as an educator I understand that is one of the many hats that I must wear at all times, but there is also a limit.
it's always a fine line between playing the race card and just calling a spade a spade...nobody respects or believes anyone who plays the card all the damn time, which puts fear of using it all in some of us--for fear we will be seen that way. but sometimes...no matter what others may think, just gotta call a spade a spade...seems like one of those times.
next time call me, i'm only a few hours away from an ass kicking--i know you're too cute to fight :o)
Hey now - pray tell - what is it that you actually do? if you don't mind the question...
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