Scene:

BC and Smi­ling Mom wai­ting in line. Smi­ling Mom is enga­ging BC in con­ver­sa­tion in an attempt to keep him enter­tai­ned as it is past lunch time, with no food, and gro­wing dan­ge­rously near nap time.

BC: Mommy? (Said loudly)

SM: Yes Dear.

BC: (Regar­ding the lady stan­ding 1/2 foot in front of me) Why is that lady black?

SM: (Sin­king slowly into the ground) Because that’s the color of her skin.

Black Lady: Chuc­kles and smi­les at me.

SM to BL: Wow, he’s never asked that before.

BL: How old is he?

SM: Just tur­ned three.

BL: (Nods knowingly)

I sus­pect this is not the first time this has hap­pe­ned to her.

BC: (a few minu­tes later) Mommy, why is her skin black.

SM: Because it is, BC.

Lord help me raise this child to his fourth birthday.