My mother spent years trying to teacher me her version of what was right and wrong.
Mostly, i accepted what she said without question.
It was usually just easier to agree than to be locked in my room without dinner, with the Sacred Heart Choir playing non-stop in the background.
I never had a chance to think differently before.
I'd never even spoken to a coloured person before- our school, although technically integrated, kept most of the non-white kids in what was known as the "Special Ed." Class, and although the lunchroom wasn't segregated, I'd never have had the courage to just walk right up to a complete stranger and start sharing secrets, let alone kids who, my mother had promised me, would steal my lunch money and make me pregnant if I gave them half a chance.
I mean, I didn't exactly believe every word of it, but when you never hear much different... Well, what are you going to think?
Tracy was the only person i knew who never thought twice about whether someone was black or not.
She'd had the advantage of being brought up in one of the less racist families in Baltimore, and also, i guess she'd been teased so much herself she was more understanding than most.
(I was lucky enough to mostly fly under the social radar. When i was referred to at all, i was just Tracy's slightly pretty, slightly ditzy, slightly blonde friend.)
Tracey was also the one who introduced me to Seaweed. Oh, Seaweed.
My black-white knight.
When i first saw him, my first thought was "Whoa!" Coz he was gorgeous...
My second thought was...well, my second thought took a while....