Let's disect it... the kid asks for directions.....says to Haven that he won't rob them....goes completely the wrong way...then comes back to say that he wont rob them and that white people spook easily...then rides off laughing and repeating what he said...hmmmm...id say his intentions were probably not great but who am i to judge? I dont believe in going thru life with blinders on....it was the fact that Haven DIDNT have blinders on that he decided to find a quick route home and get himself out of any POTENTIAL danger The only thing, IMO, that Haven could have /should have done differently, was maybe think about not taking a walk at 2 AM....but thats just me...if he wanted to go for a walk, its a free country
What's wrong with, "why would we think you'd rob us?" Haven acknowledged that he could have gone the wrong way by mistake. Taking the same creative liberties that you have, why couldn't the kid have meant "I've got to bother these people again, why don't I insert a little humor (even though it obviously wasn't funny to them)" If robbery was his intention, then why didn't he rob them? We could probably debate this all day, but if you'll reference my original post in this thread I said that he should have been concerned. But if you maintain that there is nothing that he could have done to get better results out of that situation then I will continue to disagree.
whats wrong with the kid keeping his mouth shut? what creative liberties? I simply repeated the story maybe he didnt have a weapon...maybe he thought Haven would kick his ass...who knows...my guess is that it crossed his mind seeing as how he made the comment ...talk about going thru life with blinders on...take some of your own advice here probably....i agree to disagree....have a good weekend
another race story.... i have lived mostly in Canada.... i went to school in a small white town in Canada... for only a year..thank god..... there were just TWO colored people in my english class of about 40..... my first language happens to be english...teach did not know so during a presentation (2 white girls, me and the other colored dude of the class) i had to read somethin and misread "disguise" a few times.... i used to get nervous in front of a crowd.... so the teach at the end turns to me and says i read the whole thing wrong and that i should have had one of the two white girls read instead.... i thought that was fu*ked up.... she made an assumption based on my skill color...?!?!? and its friggin english class...i'm there to learn english not to do a perfect presentation for her ugly a$$....anyway i am and was bitter about it...i just walked out of class and missed about a week of that b*tches class.. .AND she flunked me for the final...however i still got into the best Univesity in Canada....so that woman can go F*ck herself.
i agree, haven should have had his comedy routine of one-liners ready for this venture out. "i'm not gonna rob you." "well we're not gonna rob you either." "do you know the directions to duval street." "no, but i know the directions to your mom's house. oooohhhhh, burn." and so on. this is ridiculous. seeing anyone at 2 AM is a little disconcerting even if prepared. someone asking for directions and being along their merry way or just saying "hi" as they pass by on a bike at 2 AM isn't bad. someone i don't know approaches me at 2 AM and the word "rob" somehow enters the conversation and i suddenly don't wanna be there. i don't start with the friendly repartee. and if the person comes back and mentions "rob" again i get even more worried, especially if i've already used up my line. even if the other guys intentions were completely pure (which would seem odd considering he didn't even go to duval after asking for directions twice) he did everything so wrong it would be weird to not be spooked.
hey. you going to find all types of people in this world. i'm suprized you did'nt report that especially since she failed you in the final. Is it University Of Toronto you calling the best university in Canada??
What do I think of that? I think you should post more! I've never thought of that particular situation. Considering how international business has become, and how consolidated those businesses are now, with a truly mixed group of folks of all skin colors, and from numerous countries, and how increasingly Blacks are professionals and successful in business (thank god... JFK, MLK and LBJ would be thrilled!), it's certainly something the corporate world should have in their playbook... never assume, and don't stereotype. (and give women a real chance getting to the top, no matter what their damned skin color is) I can throw in my own little story. About 1975, the future Mrs. Deckard and I lived in the Richmond/W. Alabama/S. Shepard area. We ended up there about 4 years. Anyway, one night, I was walking down the sidewalk on our dark street with the Wonder Dog, a long haired hippie just going a couple of blocks to a 24 hour 7/11, and this burly looking white dude was walking towards me on the other side of the street. When we were about half a block away from each other, he crosses the street, and keeps coming towards me. The Wonder Dog had been peeing on a bush or something, or checking out a cat, and wasn't close by when the dude made his move. I'm a pretty sensitive fellow, and I was getting bad vibes from the guy. It was about 2:30 or 3 am. He keeps striding towards me, and the closer he got, the more bad vibes Deckard feels in his vibe detector. The guy is about 30 feet from me, and just when I'm wondering where the Wonder Dog is, he quietly slips up beside me. The fellow hesitated a moment when he saw him, but kept coming. Did I say he was a very big, burly guy, and I'm not? He sticks a hand in his jacket and looks at me, and at 20 feet the Wonder Dog walks in front of me, and bares his teeth. The guy hesitates again, but keeps coming. That's when the Wonder Dog added his deep growl to his large, white bared teeth, and quickens his pace in front of me. I stop, the guy stops, my dog stops. We look at each other, and Wonder Dog takes a step towards him. The dude takes his hand out of his pocket, and crosses the street, fast, glancing over his shoulder at us, and splits. I have no doubt that the guy had bad intentions. Man, I miss that dog. He did that sort of thing on several occassions, including when he was with my old lady and I wasn't. Moral? Bad actors come in all colors, and if you're going to walk the streets late at night, take precautions. Keep D&D Civil!!
Sheesh, it took 2 pages but someone finally said it. I would be nervous about ANYONE of ANY color riding around asking for directions at 2 in the morning. Especially this part: And this part: Sorry, but that's odd behaviour no matter what color your skin is. Taking race OUT of the argument, is there anyone that doesn't agree with that? So your wife gave him directions and instead of thanking her, he got angry and said "I'm not gonna rob you"? Again, taking race OUT of the argument, does that seem like normal behaviour? Sorry, but if someone circles you, then approaches you and your wife at 2 in the morning, asks for directions, rides a half block, comes back and says he's "not gonna rob" you (for the second time), then angerly rides off, any normal person is going to be a little nervous no matter what race the bike rider is. IMO you have nothing to feel guilty about, haven.
Having read Haven's post it just makes the kid seem perceptive not suspicious. Haven and is wife were worried that the youth was up to know good. The youth sensed it and commented on it. It's not like he pulled the thought out of thin air. By saying I'm not going to rob you, he was merely commenting on what was going through Haven's mind. It is silly for people to act like the fact that he said something about that makes him more suspect. All he did was sense the tension and mention it. The bottom line is the kid assessed what was going through Haven's mind. He was correct in his assessment and commented on it. That doesn't make him more suspect.
I've been known to jog late at night, and I definitely don't like people talking to me. I consider it an intrusion at that time of night, and possibly a threatening way of sizing me up. In my neighborhood it is usually a group of white frat guys, who I would consider much more threatening than a single black man.... as I have been witness to many more acts of violence with the first type listed. That said... ANYONE riding a bike at that time of night is suspicious with me because it is very dangerous to ride at night(especially in Houston) due to terrible visibility and drunk drivers. My first thought would be that they are coming home from a bar drunk, which is what most people are doing at that time of night.
OK . . .Let's look at this totally. so far so good Ok. A bit of Explaination IF he is lost . . .and needs direction . . .why would he turn if no one in site to assist him . . so when he sees someone to assist him why would he NOT turn to goto them. . . . him turning is not suspicious if he is truly lost. . .because when u see help to the left. . .why keep straight? ok. . . . Circling seems suspicious to Haven he reacted. If someone intentionally keeps distance between you . . . do you think ole boy did not sense that . . and that his reaction was NOT a reaction to havens? Haven INTENTIONALLY keeping distance would say HE THIS GUY THINKS U UP TO SOMETHING . . .so . . His response to the INTENTIONAL DISTANCE perhaps? Honestly. . I have gotten directions . . .CORRECT directions that . . .just didn't look right that did not LOOK like it did when I come in . . . So I can definately see myself doing this. . i dunno about asking you again . . i would generally assume u don't what u talking about an go on . . but . . .he was differnet again . . .a REACTION to the WIFE's Obvious nervousness perhaps? Familiarity breeds trust like i asked. . .how many black folx in your neighborhood not to add connotation . . . but seeing a GErman Shepard run by you and seeing a Pit Bull run by at 2 am . . would cause two totally different responses while both maybe harmless. . . . .perhaps the rep of one would cause more alarm. Suspicious is subjective Don't worry haven . . this is not for you I think your story and reactions were fine You survived to tell it. . . so your did something right I'll be honest with you . .. Walking the Campus of Texas A&M many of things happen . . .Esp at night .. . . simple things from folx moving to the EXTREME edge of the side walk when you walk by . . the quicking of their pace when you over half a block behind them. and I'll be honest with . . . at times. . . I started to enjoy it. . . It wasn't right but sh*t they weren't right . . . one time . . it happened They quicken their pace. . i quickened mine . .. . by time we made it to the commons they were d*mn near in a sprint. . . . once their they felt 'safe' I loudly told my friend about it .. . . it was funny story for us silly folx. . . . I added. . . "Whatever the h*ll they were running from wasn't going to get me!" Was I wrong. . . . maybe but f*ck 'em . . . I'm on a college campus carrying about 50 lbs of calculus books coming from the chemisty building . . . . what the hell was I going to do . . .club a guy and two girls with my book less than 50 yds from the commons? Rocket River
Would haven have felt threatened if this happened at 2PM instead of 2AM? That seems to be the real "black" problem here.
Maybe. But what kind of rude ******* do you have to be to say something that condescending to complete strangers? "Oh, you silly (insert race here) always (insert behavior here)." He was lucky haven wasn't in a vindictive mood; I bet a 911 call reporting a "suspicious teen in the area" would have gotten a quick response. Now that was funny.
OH I agree this kid did NOT handle the situation at all properly While I understand some of his reactions His Behavior left a WHOLE LOT to be desired. I would not have reacted as such . . .when folx are scared of me i minimize my contact with them . . . get my info and get gone I may laugh about it later. . . . . . and I think the call to the cops maybe what he feared most. Rocket River
Well if a biker (hell's angel) walks up to me at 2am under the same circumstances, comedy routine or whatever I'm going to say whatever I can to neutralize the tension, and humor is a pretty good neutralizer. So, while you're standing there avoiding the "friendly repartee" and feeling sorry for yourself, a reasonable minded person with some grasp on racial sensitivity would attempt at least to find some common ground within the confrontation.
