Friday, February 10, 2006

'Something New'

I really enjoyed 'Something New'. I saw it last week with a bunch of female friends and we all liked the movie. Before I went, I had an interesting conversation with a colleague. I'll call him Trevor. It's a three part conversation, so bear with me.
Pt. I.
Trevor: Strength/Courage/Wisdom, what are you doing this weekend?
Me: Not much. I'm going to the movies.
Trevor: Are you going to see 'Something New'?
Me: (laughs) Yes, I am.
Him: So am I. We should see it together, since we represent what the movie is about.
Me: True. Or maybe you could join me and my group in seeing the movie. That way, you'll have a bunch of black women to choose from.
Him: Right. We should definitely talk after the movie. I'm sure I'll have questions.
Me: I may have questions too.
Him: But I may have more questions.
Me: True.
Pt. II.
(The week after I saw the movie)
Him: So what'd you think?
Me: I really liked the movie. I thought it was very well done.
Him: So it talked about racial harmony and how we shouldn't judge each other by race.
Me: Yep.
Him: You don't have a problem with interracial dating do you?
Me: No. If it wasn't for interracial dating, you wouldn't be here. (Side note: This guy is very ethnic looking, dark skin, curly hair. He says no one else in his family looks like him. I think his mother took a lova that was a brotha, but I digress)
Him: I'm asking because I know alot of black women don't like interracial dating.
Me: I know.
Him: Alot of black women get mad when they see black men with white women.
Me: (silence)
Him: You're not one of those, are you?
Me: Ask me another time.
Him: (laughs) You mean when they're aren't a bunch of white people around?
Me: Exactly!

Pt. III.
Trevor: So I saw the movie.
Me: So what'd you think.
Him: I thought it was well done. But it depressed me.
Me: Why?
Him: Because it seems like there were so many barriers, so many unspoken rules ...
Me: Like the black tax stuff? And the part about the hair?
Him: (nods)
Me: Well, I can tell you one thing, we are very sensitive about our hair. That subject is best avoided by a white boyfriend.
Him: Yeah, so I saw.
(conversation shifted from then on, started talking about men on the DL, which is another post for another day)

Truth is, I'm a hypocrite. I don't have a major problem seeing black women with white men, but I can't say the same when the situation is reversed. Maybe it's because I grew up in a neighborhood where all the black boys preferred the white girls. Throughout high school, I had a crush on a boy who thought of me as his good friend, while he lusted after every white girl around. It was painful. I remain friends with Crush -- who attended an HBCU no doubt -- and try to be supportive of his relationship with a white woman. I doubt I'll ever work up the nerve to ask him why he prefers these Mary Janes, but I already know how he'd react. He'd look at me like I was crazy and tell me it was no big deal. Then he'd go on about how I was an Angry Black Woman and I needed to just let it go. Well, I'm trying. Slowly but surely, I'll get past my animosity. And who knows, maybe in 2006 I'll be trying Something New.

4 comments:

Juicy77 said...

Let us know when he finally asks you out...because I know he's going to. :o)

Strength/Courage/Wisdom said...

Whateva, man! He's crazy ... deranged. And waaaaay too young -- as if crazy wasn't enough! =)
s/c/w

Anonymous said...

you know trevor is a west indian name right? and you know that song "ebony and ivory" and that other song "jungle fever" how do they both end.....?

Strength/Courage/Wisdom said...

Um, no... how do those songs end?