If you are an adoptive parent esp one who is parenting a child of a different race then you know how many times you are broadsided by some stranger coming up to you with the expectation that they are allowed to ask any one of a million stupid questions right in front of your kids. It never ceases to amaze me the words that come out of a complete strangers mouth. Lately, I have not had to deal with this so imagine my surprise when in the course of 24 hours I had the following exchanges with some people I have never been formally introduced to and will most likely never meet again.
I have to admit that I was a little evil with the woman at the Mini Mart but gosh darn it I had just been in a video arcade with a bunch of screaming kids for two hours. THat is my excuse.
So yesterday the kids and I go into a Mini Mart and first thing out of the
cashiers mouth as she looks at Kellis " ahhhh she is so cute..."
(Okay I can feel it coming on. Let me see if I can read your mind and finish
the sentence for you sweetie)
"Are they your kids?"
(I knew it. If I only had a nickel. I always know when we start out with a she is so cute it will be followed by nosey questions. But today I was prepared.
"Yep they are all mine."
Funny look crosses her face.
"They don't look anything like you."
"Yeah I know."
"I think they look Asian"
"Naw, my ancestors are English and German"
"Their dad must be Asian then"
"Nope. Here is his picture. ( I pull out my husband's picture) See, He is German too. Oh, and here is a picture of my oldest daughter." (Who is as pale skinned as they come)
She stares at it, looks down at the kids and back at me. Confusion is written
all over her face.
"Yep, the doctors don't understand it either. They think it has something to do
with drinking too much of the water when we went to Asia. Bye now."
And then this afternoon it happened again.
I was in the Super Wal-Mart. Up walks this 50ish man.
(Oh crap... here is comes I think to myself trying to turn my body away but can't get turned fast enough.)
"I know you get this all the time"......
(NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Don't you F'ing say whatever is about to come out of your
mouth)
"but are your kids adopted?"
(Hmmmm should I go with the No, why do you ask tactic?)
"Are they from the orient?"
(Oh God...not one of these I just can't take it today!)
"They were born in South Korea"
"Is that the communist country?"
"No, that would be North Korea"
"THe reason I ask is because I have adopted 8 of my own"
(Okay, maybe I can put my guard down a little)
"WE got them in all colors. We have two of our own and then we got a Mexican one, and a black one and this one here (pointing to a I would guess 16 yo) well we don't know what she is"
(Oh God help me and get me away from this idiot)
"And one we have now is 3 and her Mom is in prison and the man she named as the
father well his DNA didn't match so I think we are going to get her thank god.
She doesn't need to have a loser mother like that."
"Sounds like you have a lovely family. We have to keep shopping. It's nice
meeting you."
And just when I thought I was done I ran into him 2 more times and each time he
starts a conversation and once his daughter looks at me as I pass and says
"Do they all have the same mother?"
"Why, yes they do. It's me!"
I am NOT going out tomorrow....its comes in threes you know!