First Confrontation with a Racist, On a City Bus
The other white man appeared to be in his late 40s and was carrying a cane. He asked to no one in general, �What�s that smell?�
Then as a response, voice only loud enough to be audible to only one who is expecting some kind of response I heard him clearly state, �No, it�s because of all those �n_g_e_s� on the bus.� I cannot say if I was the only one who heard him, but I do not that no one else showed any kind of physical indication that they heard these words.
For the next few moments, I just sat there and stared at him. Subconsciously I was thinking, �What did you just say because I know you didn�t say what I just thought I heard you say.� Then I returned my gaze to the front of the bus and a few more moments pass by until I decide that I am not going to let this situation go out like this. I hesitantly responded with a noticeable quiver in my voice, �Some people are lucky that we are on a city bus.�
The white guy responded by saying rather boldly and demandingly, �What the hell did you just say?� I then repeated myself, though this time it was more firmly and without any apparent sign of fear. He responded by stating, �You need to shut up, mind your own business, and grow up!�
As we approached Wisconsin Avenue, the white man moved to get off the bus. It was then that I felt more comfortable approaching the situation at hand. I said in a rather firm and authoritative voice, �You need to quit being a racist.� He responded by saying something similar to his previous statement. I responded back by saying once again, �You need to quit being a racist.� Similar statements keep being said by the two of us until he is off the bus. I was the last person to say anything, but the situation was not quite over yet.
It was now that other people on the bus involve themselves in the situation. I remember two statements being said. One was, �Look at that white guy! There he is talking about some other person being a racist! Who the hell does he think he is?� The other was, �Are you talking to yourself or something?�
These statements came at me and I did not know what to think of them. Were they attacks? Or were they just presented to question my actions? Regardless, I answered, �No, I was talking to that white man who just got off the bus. See him! The one walking down the sidewalk with the cane. He said that this bus smelled because of all you black people on the bus.�
I recall someone asking me, �Why didn�t you say something while he was on the bus so we could have done something.� I did not answer. I did not feel as if I had to. I did what I thought was right and that is all I felt I needed to do.
I waited a few moments before I started to talk to a few individuals on neighboring seats about how I felt. Stating that I though I did what I needed to do as a Christian. That I did not want to be found being guilty by God because I refused to say something. That as a Christian I felt obligated to point out to him his error, and I do not see why some people on this bus reacted to me the way they did.
After saying these things, the bus had arrived at my stop on State Street. I did not get a chance to receive any comments that might have allowed me to understand the situation any.
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route to the Garden of Gethsemane)