Yes! It is true. I am a dyed-in-the-wool, card carrying, branded coffee cups owner [thanks, Debbie and Brett!] dedicated Cat Lady.
I make no apologies for that part of myself. I actually love it that cats have been my pleasure, responsibility, and joy (not to mention my anti-lonely cushion) for a lot of my life. So when it was time for din din, I left for Dollar General on a quick run to avoid Jax’ mournful cries accompanied by the inevitable lying on his back, X’s on his eyes feline guilt trip all fur baby owners will move mountains to avoid.
Second in line to check out, it was hard not to notice the current customer spoke no English. I could tell, even from the side, by the look on her face, she was NOT someone I would want to run into alone on the street at night.
That was my first thought. My second thought, when she turned and looked at me was, “OMG! I recognize that look!”
My disdain kinda melted, and I flashed her a big, friendly smile. Suddenly, it was a completely different person I was seeing. She grinned back, and her entire face softened transforming her into an attractive, sweetheart of a human being.
She will never think about me again. And why should she? We were just both in the checkout line at the same time. I was the much older woman behind her at checkout with a package of Sheba Cuts With Gravy.
But I don’t think I will ever forget her.
The look I recognized is one I used years ago when taking evening classes at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. I had a long walk from the parking lot to class. “The Look” was a defense tactic to not appear scared or vulnerable to would-be predators who, hopefully, would be intimidated into thinking I wasn’t an easy target. (Not only was that my usual modus operandi learned from Mother, the University actually strongly advised this during new student Orientation.)
With everything that’s going on in the United States with illegal immigration and the tax this takes on our nation’s economic, social, educational and justice systems, to name a few, might make it easy to pass judgment on strangers who don’t speak English.
It’s hard to deny that, if my Dollar General line-mate is here illegally, she has probably been the brunt of albeit justifiable disdain from resentful Americans. Even after this encounter, I admit I am still one of them who isn’t in favor of this invasion. It’s just my anger no longer misdirected.
My takeaway from this is the recognition that she is also a victim of Biden’s broken immigration policies. Getting our country back from his disastrous administration means, at some point, she may be denied what she was illegally promised by Joe and will be expelled from our country. That is justice.
It’s just not as easy for me to be angry at the non-violent, illegal immigrants who thought they were permanently relocated to the, hands down, greatest nation on the entire planet.
