Culturally Biased

"You know you don't look that black when your hair is straightened"

Brazil

"Hello Mr. Thompson?"

"Brazil, I know it's your day off but I need you to pick up Cassidy."

Cassidy was his daughter.

"Okay, no problem."

"Thank you. But you need to get her from the office. Apparently there's been an incident." He said quickly before hanging up.

~

I pulled up to her school, parked my car and walked up to the office of the school.

I used to go this school when I was Cassidy's age.

Didn't really like it.

"Hi I'm here to pick up Cassidy Thompson." I said to the lady at the desk.

She looked me up and down.

"Mr. Thompson usually picks her up. Who are you?"

"I'm his assistant." I said flatly.

She scoffed.

"You work for him? Please, do you expect me to-"

"I guess I should call him then." I said pulling out my phone.

"Wait." She said stopping me.

"Hmm?" I questioned with a sly smirk.

"She's in there." She said nodding her head to the back of the office.

She was sat in a chair, her arms crossed.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"She got in trouble today." I turned to see the principal Mr. Roby.

I principle I never liked.

"For what?" I asked.

"She was called in for yelling at a teacher and got herself into more trouble by trying to make up some lie that the teacher called her the 'n' word. She's suspended."

"How do you know she was lying?" I asked.

"Well her teacher denied it."

"What else?"

"What other evidence do we need?"

"Um...witnesses? Doesn't each classroom have a security camera or something?"

"It's not serious enough to take it to that."

"But obviously serious enough to suspend her."

I shook my head scoffing.

"You know what? Fine. I'll just bring Mr. Thompson into this."

~

In the car, Cassidy was silent.

There was an angry frown on her face.

"Cassidy look, even if you're light skin, you're black. Life is still gonna be twice as hard for you. People are gonna push you around, bug you, make you extremely angry. You're gonna wanna scream, you're gonna wanna do anything in your power to get them back or stop them. Unfortunately, sometimes people are more privileged then you."

"So are you saying I shouldn't do anything?"

"I'm saying that these people wanna get a rise out of you. When you get angry you just give in."

She sighed.

"You think my dad is gonna believe me?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes I think my dad is gonna leave because I'm black."

"He'd never do that."

"How do you know?"

"Because he loves you."

"Which of your parents isn't black?"

"My dad as well."

"Is he still in your life?"

"I never really knew him."

"Why?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"You don't answer them." She shot back.

"Whatever."

"You know don't look that black when your hair is straightened."

"You say that like it's a good thing." I said.

"It is."

"No it's not. You should always be thankful for your color."

"Were you always?"

"No. But I am now."