[uvw]

I am Indian, as in from south east Asia.

I was in graduate school and used to live off campus in a highrise. One day I got in elevator with this really nice looking older black woman. We were only people in the elevator. As soon as the elevator door closes she says to me "you people are nice, the problem is you don't go back". The words still ring in my ear 20 years later.

Couple of years later, I am working in a small town in new England. I have no friends and all my coworkers are old, so I go alone to eat lunch out. I would usually wear dress pants, button down dress shirts tucked in with nice polished black leather shoes. One day, I ate lunch and went across the street to buy cigarettes at a gas station. I lit one on the back side of the building. Few mins later, a oldish Toyota Camry pulls up. A white guy a few years older than me gets out, closes the door, locks the car remotely. Then he looks at me and says "Don't steal my car" and starts walking towards the building.

Having said that, I have met extremely nice White/black/Asian people and many of them are my friends. So I like to think about them and not the ugliness that I experienced few times.

I don't know what's causing racism in this country or how to fix it. I treat everyone equally and just want to live in peace.

[Goesby]

Thanks for sharing. I hear you when you say it still rings 20 year later. I think the other thing is that it is hard to share this stories with people. Hell, I had a hard time sharing it with my wife. I'm not sure if its shame or similar, but it feels worse than being physically assaulted.