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Hitchhikers
Jul. 19th, 2010 05:18 pmFor the first time in YEARS I picked up some hitchhikers today. I was leaving the scout shop this afternoon when some boys walking from the natatorium flagged me down (I'd guess they were 13-15 years old). The one doing the talking was wearing a red shirt with a design over one breast. I didn't get a close look, but I was easily able to discern "Boy Scout" and a fleur-de-lis. He was asking for me to give them a ride to the Big A gas station/convenience store a few blocks away. It wasn't out of my way and the boy WAS wearing a Boy Scout t-shirt, so why not?
After the three of them piled into my Jeep, I cranked up the A/C and went on our way. As we were going through Braham Spring Park, the one in the red shirt asked if I would buy something. I explained that I'm a bit hard of hearing and asked that he repeat it (though the primary reason for my not understanding him was his accent). On the second listen, all I could discern was that he wanted me to buy the three of them something with "Black" at the end of the name. Still uncertain what the hell he was actually wanting but knowing there was no way I was going to buy them anything, I went ahead and said, "No, I'm just giving y'all a ride to the store."
As we pull into the gas station, the boy in the red shirt asked me if I was married. "Yes," I replied...trying to figure out where the hell that question came from (keep in mind, they had to move one childseat into the back and were squeezed because Harper's seat behind me wasn't removed). I then added, "Yes, I'm married with three kids." "Oh," the two in the back seat replied. As the red-shirted boy got out of the car, he stopped and looked back at me.
"Why are your toes purple?"
"My wife painted them for me while we were on vacation recently."
"So, you're not gay?"
"No."
"Oh, okay, I thought you might be gay."
It was during this exchange that I got a closer look at his shirt. He was wearing one of the red casual shirts for my troop, Troop 364. I don't know how he got it or why he was wearing it (as that he isn't a member of our troop and we haven't had any African-American kids in the troop in a long while), but I left the situation realizing that one of the key reasons I was willing to give the three teenagers a ride wasn't valid.
While I'd probably do the same thing in the exact same situation, the experience is kinda bugging me and I'm not certain why. If the one boy hadn't been wearing the Boy Scout shirt, I likely wouldn't have taken them for the ride. When examining the race factor, I think I would still reject some redneck boys but would have given them a ride if one of them had a scout shirt. Regardless, any "what ifs" in this situation are probably more ego-stroking answers instead of legitimate feedback for what my action would really be when faced with the variances.
After the three of them piled into my Jeep, I cranked up the A/C and went on our way. As we were going through Braham Spring Park, the one in the red shirt asked if I would buy something. I explained that I'm a bit hard of hearing and asked that he repeat it (though the primary reason for my not understanding him was his accent). On the second listen, all I could discern was that he wanted me to buy the three of them something with "Black" at the end of the name. Still uncertain what the hell he was actually wanting but knowing there was no way I was going to buy them anything, I went ahead and said, "No, I'm just giving y'all a ride to the store."
As we pull into the gas station, the boy in the red shirt asked me if I was married. "Yes," I replied...trying to figure out where the hell that question came from (keep in mind, they had to move one childseat into the back and were squeezed because Harper's seat behind me wasn't removed). I then added, "Yes, I'm married with three kids." "Oh," the two in the back seat replied. As the red-shirted boy got out of the car, he stopped and looked back at me.
"Why are your toes purple?"
"My wife painted them for me while we were on vacation recently."
"So, you're not gay?"
"No."
"Oh, okay, I thought you might be gay."
It was during this exchange that I got a closer look at his shirt. He was wearing one of the red casual shirts for my troop, Troop 364. I don't know how he got it or why he was wearing it (as that he isn't a member of our troop and we haven't had any African-American kids in the troop in a long while), but I left the situation realizing that one of the key reasons I was willing to give the three teenagers a ride wasn't valid.
While I'd probably do the same thing in the exact same situation, the experience is kinda bugging me and I'm not certain why. If the one boy hadn't been wearing the Boy Scout shirt, I likely wouldn't have taken them for the ride. When examining the race factor, I think I would still reject some redneck boys but would have given them a ride if one of them had a scout shirt. Regardless, any "what ifs" in this situation are probably more ego-stroking answers instead of legitimate feedback for what my action would really be when faced with the variances.
