Sunday Night Dinner

After church on Sunday, Zandi and I decided to go out for dinner at a restaurant that was near to her house. When we got there, it was looked pretty busy but there were a couple tables that seemed open. Zandi walked into the main area and asked for a table and the lady said that they were fully booked. Here in Cape Town, you can easily walk into a deserted place and they will tell you that it is full because everyone will have reservations at 8pm. Zandi walked out and said that it was full. I said but there is a free table here and I pointed to an area by the door. I said “Maybe if they hear my American voice, they will let us have that table!” I have found here…even though I think it is SO WRONG that once people hear my AmeriCAN voice, I seem to get what I want…I consider it a perk at times, so use what you have right? I walked back to the waitress and asked again if there wasn’t any room just for 2 people and I said how about the table outside, in which she said yes we could have it. I walked backed outside to tell Zandi that we got a table! She looked at me…and just gave me this look…and walked in and sat down. I was like “see American has it’s perk” and she said it wasn’t because I was American…it was because I am white. I looked at her and was like, no I am yellow! Haha. I sat there and realized what had happened…it was because she is black that she was declined the table…I was and am utterly shocked as I hadn’t encountered this before or at least noticed it. I have heard stories after stories of things like this and it is apparently common in Cape Town…but I was and am so angry about it! I asked if she wanted to leave and she said no…we are here so lets eat.  I am thankful that I was raised to not see color…and Cape Town you are behind by 10 years, but come on! I just want to apologize over and over to her and everyone who has and is treated like that…they are 100% human as anyone else and to be treated like you is so disgusting and WRONG! This  is something that rings in my heart. You know my heart is about justice and if there is injustice my loud Asian voice will come out and this is one of those topics that I can’t comprehend how and why people would think they are better….It opened my eyes, but next time it happens there may be a fist fight or a rebuking revival in the restaurant!