Brown Skin

You know what comes out of people's mouths never ceases to amaze me. I'm dark-skinned. Always been, always will be. I'm not buying any fade creams or skin lighteners. I'm not hiding out from the sun. People kill me when they say " Girl, I don't wanna get too black where is the shade". I recall my own great-grandmother telling my mother to "keep them children out the sun." I have never had a problem with my skin color. It was never an issue for me. My family ranges from damn near white to coal black and it is all beautiful to me. Anyway, I'm shopping, walking around e minding my own business and I see an old co-worker. We are chatting it up and when her mother sees us , she comes over and the first thing she says is. " You're pretty for a black girl". I'm dead serious and I am talking the black woman who is her daughter. She is not Asian, White, Indian, Hispanic or anything other than a very light black woman herself. This reference is to my tone not my race and I didn't acknowledge that stupid ass statement and keep talking. . Then she starts staring like I am some sort of fluke. I mean to the point where I am uncomfortable because I think mom may have some tendencies. So I give her my full attention. Then she asked " Is that all your own hair?" I say " Yes"... "Nice grade, where are you from?" I say "Excuse me?" I can't even RESPOND to this woman.... Are you kidding me? WTF? Now I'm annoyed and I think my ex-coworker has sensed it because she tells her mother to go get in line.Then she says," My mom is a trip" YOU THINK? "But, she didn't mean anything.." I give her the hand and tell her "I think she did." Simple people work my damn nerves. It's bad enough I have to put up with white peoples perception of me, now this bullshit. Isn't it about time we let this crap go? Must we make Willie Lynch's speech valid until the end of days? Ignorance is not bliss...