Verbally Assaulted While Getting A Mocha, Again… Two More Times!
March 5th, 2007 | by steve |Apparently this time, I have thing against black people… Before it was the Hummer and the lady screaming at me and now this:
The first occurrence was on Thursday morning. I have, since the summer, switched from mochas to lattes. Maybe it is the the sugar thing, I don’t know. This morning I was in the company vehicle and not the Hummer. A much smaller, little SUV. I call it the brown box. I pulled into the spot right in front of Starbucks. Casually got out of the car, hit the lock button, making the car “toot” it’s horn so I knew it was locked. I walked maybe 5-10 steps to the front door and all I hear is “Stupid White Boy, learn how to park!!!”
I turned around and there were 3 or 4 teenage girls who were African American. I just stared for a second. And then I walked back to my vehicle. The spots were tight at this Starbucks, so I went back to verify. I peaked my head around the passenger side of my vehicle and just pointed to the ground. I was clearly a foot inside my parking space line. I then noticed the larger, full figure of the driver. Looked around at the others. I tossed my hands in disgust and went back inside. They just dogged me. Not once did I say a word. They were driving a large full size sedan.
I just watched from inside Starbucks as a smaller girl climbed through the passenger side to move the car out so they all could get in. I really wasn’t close and they were well within their line too. Why the “stupid white boy” comment? Who knows… I did not think this incident had any relevance until yesterday.
Yesterday, Friday… I rolled up in the morning to another Starbucks for a cup of coffee. This time though I was parked on the street. I sat in my car for a few minutes talking on the phone, in a pretty heated business discussion. I had noticed a car pull up and park behind me for a moment. A tall, older, heavy set, African American gentleman got out of the car and approached my window. I truly was at a point in my conversation on the phone where I could not say “Excuse me, someone wants to talk to me.” But what I did do was mouth the word “Sorry…” while I did the, “I’m on the phone.” thing where I pointed at my phone mouthing the words. Again the guy knocked on the window and this time he had some change in his hand. I was kind of upset that this guy persisted so I did the “talk to the hand” sign trying to get him to go away. He ignored that, then pounded on my window and then I gave him the “Dude, WTF?” look.
And then he goes…”Fuck you white boy!! Get off the phone… I wasn’t gonna ask you for shit.”
So apparently I hate black people and didn’t know it. Or do I?
See… look, there are two instances of some reverse discrimination, really. First with the parking spot on Thursday where I committed the crime of legally parking next to another car. Another instance of not talking to a stranger. Did both instances warrant a “white boy” comment?
I beg to differ…
The first instance is really related to bad parenting, bad schooling, and/or no respect. I have parked a car literally thousands of times in front of a Starbucks or any other business. I am careful, even in the Hummer. In fact, if I am in the Hummer I choose to park far away, especially in a tight parking lot. I really take care of being a courteous person. I open the door for everyone, no matter age, sex, color or whatever. I don’t blame these teenagers for their race. I blame them because of their age. It was some form of showmanship on the driver’s part to say, “Don’t park so close.” Anyone could have gotten nailed with this from this girl. However, what if I were African American? Would I have gotten the same disrespect?
Nope…
In the second instance, why would I open a window, especially for a stranger and especially when I was on the phone? The stranger made no comment to the state of my or his safety. There was no danger in my case. I didn’t even sense that he was looking for directions. Plus, there were around ten people walking around this Starbucks, coming and going. If he needed something he could of easily asked the others. Instead he walked up to my window, motioned me to talk, and when I said sorry… It wasn’t enough. But since I was white and he was black, it turned into a racial event. Personally I would have done the same thing to a white guy, or woman. It was really an invasion of space and privacy. Except, are we really private when we are in public? Do we have to answer everyone, even if it is a neighbor who greeted me this morning while I worked on my front yard, to which I responded… “Great morning, isn’t it?”
He was African American…
14 Responses to “Verbally Assaulted While Getting A Mocha, Again… Two More Times!”
By Paul Watson on Mar 3, 2007 | Reply
steve,
Have you considered the possibility that you’re just really, really unlucky when you go to Starbucks (or maybe it’s some of Starbucks’ karma rubbing off on you as it always seems to happen when you go for a coffee)?
By steve on Mar 3, 2007 | Reply
Paul:
The original story with the Hummer was actually out in front of a Peet’s Coffee. Starbucks is ancillary and is no way at fault as to what happens in from of their stores.
By Paul Watson on Mar 3, 2007 | Reply
Ok, my error. I think you should cut down on the coffee then. It seems to make the world dislike you.
By Paul Watson on Mar 3, 2007 | Reply
Or maybe start with something a little easier, like maybe, stop breathing?
By Liberal Jarhead on Mar 3, 2007 | Reply
Just goes to show that assholery is an equal opportunity form of obnoxiousness. Jackasses come in all flavors.
Maybe you should ride a unicycle and only go to places that serve tea or something?
By Liberal Jarhead on Mar 3, 2007 | Reply
And wear a paper bag over your head so no one knows which form of racial/ethnic abuse to hurl at you…
By Jersey McJones on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
Man, Steve, you’re a trouble magnet, man! If I were you, I’d carry a rabbit’s foot, wear a horsehoe pendant (make sure it’s pointing up!), carry salt packets to throw behind you, have St Christopher tatooed on your arm, avoid black cats (if you ever visit me, I’ll put my two black cats in the bedroom), DO NOT WALK UNDER LADDERS, and make sure to avoid any contact between metal objects and mirrors!
JMJ
By steve on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
Yeah… then I got the stomach flu. Not a good weekend.
By windspike on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
Steve, Given that you changed the name of your coffee shop from Peets (my favorite) to Starbucks, might you not have changed the race of the individual as well? Of course not, because race does matter, other wise this post is not nearly as enticing.
Incidentially, I would posit that there really is no such thing as “reverse” discrimination. It’s just straight up discrminiation. Doesn’t matter what color a person is, it’s their behavior that matters. The difference being that, if a person is white, they don’t expect to be discriminated against as it’s not usually in their daily routine, whereas for many African Americans, this is more than a daily occurance.
So, I’m not certain that this was an incidence of racism more than some one pissed off that you have a very large vehicle and they can’t get out of their own cars even parked reaonsably. So, it may have very little to do with race more than the fact that some one had a bad day and was angry that they couldn’t get their butts out their door becuase you car is a behemouth, no?
By steve on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
Mr. Spike I was not driving the Hummer this time. The original incident last summer involved a white woman, say early thirties on a bicycle. She obviously had a bone to pick about the war. Makes me wonder though why she didn’t go after the f350 super duty, using diesel. I have sort of made a theme out of this with three or four posts to point out the differences in people we face daily. I just happen to have real life instances to back myself up on this mocha thing.
But really, I have spent most of my life with people different than me, whether it be the neighborhood kids growing up, to sports teams, to college and my chosen profession now. Calling me white boy is just as easy as me calling the girls fat slobs. The choice they made was to “go racial”. I was clearly parked correctly and they drove the bigger car. They could have called me an idiot, a dumbass or just shouted learn how to park if they felt I was wrong. I assess the situation as bad parenting more than a racial incident. The girl felt she was entitled to her own space and no one parking next to her. Entitlement is the biggest problem here and with the guy banging on my window wanting to talk. I clearly don’t see I am at fault in either instance. And if I had driven the Hummer… what argument could be made about a tight parking spot? In all reality I would not have chosen that spot out of courtesy regardless who drove the car next to me.
By Jersey McJones on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
Well, Obama might not be black enough, but Steve, you are obviously WAY too white!
JMJ
By tos on Mar 5, 2007 | Reply
I’ve run into a thing here and there too Steve. Prejiduice comes in all colors. Heck when I was in High School the white girls were afraid to us the bathroom if the black girls were in there. But not me. I figured if I was gonna get my ass kicked I’d put up a hell of fight.
By Demon Princess on Mar 6, 2007 | Reply
Steve,
You REALLY drive a Hummer? Gosh. Is it fortified & bullet-proof?
As for the bitching-out you received by the bbb women, it was just rude, but rudeness is an equal opportunity gig. Or maybe it IS the coffee karma (as I drink my cuppa Eye-talian roast at 10:00 PM.
By manapp99 on Mar 6, 2007 | Reply
Clearly your Karmic payback for just OWNING a hummer. And proud of it.