So, this is week 2 of school and we are still getting settled into classes and all that. I happen to be in a middle school PE class, which is fine because I don't really know the middle school kiddos very well. I am mostly secluded on my end of the building, but not this year!! Anyways, so in this middle school class, the teacher is a Deaf man, and there are actually 3 new students, none of whom sign, which makes communicating a bit tricky. Well, for them, anyways. Of the new students in that class, 2 are girls, and 1 is a boy. Well, they tend to depend on me to better explain whatever is being asked of them, since they have a level of hearing loss (obviously, if they come to ISDB) and the teacher doesn't always speak clearly. Since, you know, he is Deaf.
Anyways, on Tuesday this week, the students were running around and the new young man came up to me, very nonchalantly, leans in, and asks, "Are you adopted?"
Which was not at all what I was expecting to hear, and I responded poorly with, "No. Are you?" Which is none of my business and slightly inappropriate for me to ask.
"Yes" He responded. "You look like my sister."
"Oh" I replied, slightly dazed.
Which, if this was all you knew about him, you might think a few different things...but first, you need to know that this young man is black. And my first thought in response was something like 'Uh...I'm not black' which of course I didn't say. But as he wandered off, I was mostly puzzled and slightly amused. And I kinda wanted to ask if he had ever looking in a mirror, because, yeah...I look NOTHING like him. In any way.
Then it occurred to me that maybe he means his adopted sister? Like the family he was adopted into? Maybe I look like that girl? Because surely he doesn't know what his biological sister looks like, and thinks I look like her.
Anyways, he asked me again today, so I must actually look like someone in his life. Apparently she is 21, which he then asked how old I am (ahem...not 21).
Anyways, that is the only time I have ever been told I look like a black kid. So this one had to be written down.
