In Walks Reality

OK, I really wanted to feed you all some really cutsie piece of Sparrow pie today…

but I can’t…

Unfortunately, today I have the disappointing opportunity to share with you a little bit of reality instead:

We have Antone back with us, trying to help him find his grown-up legs and encouraging him to stand on them. I took him out today to gather job applications (one of the many things on our grown up list of “to-do’s”). Now, he’s a nice lookin’ kid…and he’s very polite. It’s all about “Yes, Ma’am” and “Yes, Sir” with him, especially in this moment of asking for job apps…Oh yeah, and he’s also black.

Our third stop was Baskin Robbins (the first two being unsuccessful). He went in ahead of me, as I was gathering my phone, wallet, etc. As I approached the door, I glanced up to see him smile politely and say thank you to the “gentleman” behind the counter (who doesn’t know that Antone is with me). Turns out, yet again, that Antone will need to fill out an application online. “Baskin Robbins dot com?” Antone asks, still smiling…”Yes” responds the employee.

I decided to sit in the air conditioned ice cream shop and eat me a scoop of Pralines and Cream (my favorite of the 31 flavors) while I waited for Antone to hit a few of the other shops in the strip mall. I was all alone in the shop, enjoying my treat, when in walks this little blond (white) woman…

“How do I go about applying for a job here?” she asks

OK…here it comes (and I KNOW he’s about to tell her the same thing he just told Antone…puh-leez be about to tell her the same thing you just told my black brother)…

“You need to bring your resume in and give it to our manager…Her name is Kara.”

Uuuummmmmm…??????? OK, let me finish up this last bite, and as I let it melt over my tongue, please let me remember something I may have missed that will make this situation OK…nope, nada, nothing.

As my urge was to strike out at him with all the force of the storm now brewing inside of me, it took every rational cell in my body to decide how to handle this…I stood up, walked back up to the register, and as he approached me I asked him to repeat to me the name of the manager one should turn their resume into, as well as the spelling of the name. “And what was your name again?” I asked. “Andy” he replied, a curious look upon his racist face. “Thank you” I uttered with all the smile I could muster, and I walked out.

To make things a little more abrasive for you, I just hopped directly onto my computer when I got home…as I typed in the web address that Antone was directed to, my fingers began to shake with the same intensity as the current quake in my heart as I read this…

So, don’t miss out on all the fun. Locate your nearest Baskin Robbins location, stop by and fill out an application.

Here’s at least one location you may want to avoid unless, of course, you, hmmmmmm, how shall I put this…approve of this type of (cough, cough, crap) behavior.