May 15th, 2014 → 6:41 am @ Lea // No Comments

“O, what men dare do!  
What men may do!  
What men daily do, not knowing what they do!”  – Much Ado About Nothing

I tried to take my son to the dentist for the first time on Tuesday.  We woke up early, got dressed and had breakfast, played Spiderman and Thor in the car on the drive over, and then giggled riding the elevator down to the doctor’s office.  Our joy ended when we walked into reception and after taking one look at us, the secretary refused to check us in.  She said that we couldn’t see the doctor until I (a white woman) could prove that I was actually my (African American) son’s mother.  I was flabbergasted.  She actually insisted on seeing court papers before she would check us in.  Needless to say, a few heated moments later my son and I were out of the building with no teeth cleaned, rage in my heart, and my baby repeatedly asking me why that woman didn’t think I was his mommy.  I knew adopting interracially would bring some memorable experiences, but c’mon!  The insolence!  The ignorance!  The prejudice, insensitivity, and rudeness!  How does such a thing still happen in this world?