I stand next to the slide, watching Bean and Buddy in the faux treetop above. A girl (eight? nine?) makes her way down the slide slowly. As she nears me, she says, “You’re very pretty.”
Assuming she is either talking to someone behind me, or is suffering the early onslaught of cataracts — poor thing — I ignore her.
She halts in the middle of the slide, her eyes now level with mine and no more than a foot away, and shouts, “YOU’RE VERY PRETTY!”
I blink a few times because I’m unsure why this is directed at me; not even out of modesty but from the sheer randomness of this statement. One thing is clear though: She now not only thinks I’m pretty, but also dumb and/or audio challenged.
I frown out of concern for her own visual challenges. “Um. Thanks.”
She continues down the slide. Then stops at the bottom and looks back at me.
“ARE YOU FROM CHINA?”
I sigh.
“No, I’m not from China.” I search for B&B. I’m too tired for this conversation. It’s meant innocently enough, but it can be a loaded question, even from a nine-year-old.
“OH.” She gets off the slide. Stands up. “OH! ARE YOU FROM NEW YORK?”
I frown again, now out of concern for her geographical challenges and also, her train of thought which seems to have derailed somewhere IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
“Um. Actually, yes, I am from New York.” I respond, finally spotting the twins.
“OH!” It all makes sense to her now.
I call out to B&B that they have a few minutes before we need to leave.
Suddenly she is IN MY FACE, my new friend. She has squeeeezed herself between me and the slide. My space is officially invaded and I. no. like.
“Guys, one more minute!” I warn.
“I KNEW YOU WERE FROM NEW YORK. I KNEW IT!”
I am… bewildered? …flattered? …biting my tongue from reminding her that her first guess was China?
Actually, I am too distracted by the twins climbing down a net; not by the possibility of them falling, but of their Crocs dislodging and falling into what seems like an enclosed (and inaccessible) abyss.
Finally. They make it down. Come down the slide. Before they manage to sneak under my nose and head back up the tree, I herd us over to the gate. My friend, after disappearing for a minute, is suddenly back in my face. (Who is this girl and where may I also obtain these super stealthy powers?)
“I KNEW YOU WERE FROM NEW YORK.” She is proud and she wants me to be aware of her hypernatural instinct.
“How did you know—?” But before I can finish asking, she has run off.
So, any clues as to what a New Yorker looks like? Other than Chinese, obviously.
11 Comments
Yes..J..you ARE very pretty! See….she actually WAS a smart girl, or at least had great eyesight!
L
That’s just bizarre. I always wonder where little kids get their ideas and preconceptions about race.
Ah kids…they come in all sorts of flavors, including crazy! And don’t be modest, I’ve seen your picture, I’ve seen your kids, you ARE pretty. Sheesh, and here I thought I was dense.
apparently, new yorkers are pretty chinese women who can’t hear very well.
Well at least she knows New Yorkers are pretty, that’s where I hail from:)
There is a young girl at my kids bus stop this year and in fact her parents are from China, while at the bus stop today one girl says to Kelly, “Are you from China?” and my son says, “No Kaylee, she’s from the 3rd house on the left!”
Children are funny, and many times irritating, I don’t like the “space invaders” either.
And puleezzz,,,,you are pretty!
(despite the fact that there’s a good chance her parents have a certain xenophobia regarding New York and all her “immigrants” like so many people from around my neck of the woods seem to have…) I gotta say she’s got a good eye for beauty.
who approach me and ask me all kinds of questions about China… even some who want to touch me. I’ve always wished the parents would step in and use the situation to teach their kids how NOT to alienate or objectify someone who looks different from them.
I’ve been singled out by kids (usually girls around that age - 7 or
Sigh… I end up twitching out answers while my facial muscles are forced to pull my lips back in fake ‘gentle’ smiles.
Ugh. That is so irritating. Even if she was just a child. My husband has had lovely children yelling, “China man! China man!” when they see him in the street. Not exactly mocking him, but merely making observations.
Someone please educate these children.
don’t those children know “china men” is no longer the preferred nomenclature?
Very strange encounter. However, she obviously knows beauty when she sees it. She obviously needs to work on her social skills, ie. giving people space when she speaks to them and not just blurting out random thoughts, where are her parents??!!
ho hoooo. I loved that one. What a weird little girl. I think she is HIlarious though. You ARE pretty you dork.
children say the darnest things…
I wish some kid told me I was pretty…Not many kids are upfront like that. You were one the lucky ones =)