Spanglish

¡Hola! Everybody…
I’m out all day today running my “freedom” workshop at women’s prison. Then later, I’m starting up my men’s meeting (once again).

Be sure to make it a great day…

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-=[ Freedom from... ]=-

Most of my readers know that I love stories. I was raised in a home where the telling of a story was a value. I collect stories like some women collect shoes and I often use them in my workshops and personal life.

I woke up thinking about how to deal with humiliation and anger. I’m going to a woman’s prison today and what is more humiliating than being incarcerated, warehoused like a piece of meat, your name a number stitched to your prison-issued clothes?

I try to teach people how to deal with adversity effectively. Anyway, I got to thinking about a story, something that actually happened to me…

I was on my way to meeting in NYC’s financial district one day. Because this was an important business meeting, I was dressed impeccably. It’s not what you wear, how you wear it, and how you accessorize it. LOL

Anyway, I was dressed to the nines and as I get into the elevator, I noticed two very attractive Latina women. One smiled shyly at me and immediately the pair go into a conversation Spanish. I notice, however, that they’re talking about me. I’m a little surprised, but then I remember that sometimes people mistake for being of European descent -- white, as they say.

I decide to keep quiet just to see what they’re saying and they were actually talking about me in a sexual way.

“He has nice eyes,” says the first woman.

“Yeah, he does, and I like the way he smiles.”

I wonder if he’s got a big cock, you can’t tell with the suit he’s wearing.”

“I bet you he’s a freak!” the other one says and they break out into laughter. On an on the conversation goes until it turns a little negative.

“Ay chica, he probably has skinny little pencil dick, you know them white boys ain’t got it like that.”

“Yeah,” her friend chimes in and they go on listing all the stereotypes associated with “white boys.” One of them admits that she would “suck me dry” if I gave her the chance. I know they’re just having fun, just throwing things around, something to entertain themselves during their lunch. Still, I’m standing there and I’m feeling as if they just took me apart, inspected me, and then put me back together again. It takes everything I have not to burst out laughing.

Finally, the elevator stops and as they’re getting off (it just so happens that I’m going to the same floor), I wish them, in my best Spanish, a nice day. They freak out!

You understand Spanish? One of them asks horrified. I answer in Spanish that yes, I am Latino and that anytime one of them wanted to suck me dry, I would be more than happy to comply.

She almost faints! LOL

Add to that the fact that my meeting is with her boss. They couldn’t apologize enough. I used that incident as a wedge to meet them (at a club) and to this day, they still can’t believe I would stand there and act as if…

I often wonder what kind of world it would be if more of us used the same tactic when others try to humiliate or insult us.

Love,

Eddie