The woman was trying to keep track of four kids, buy her stuff, and get the
Hell out. Her head swiveled side to side, conducting four parallel parent/ child
conversations and one retail transaction. A dollar bill fell unnoticed to the floor.

My son and I walked past and I noticed the fallen bill. “Excuse me,” I said to
the back of her head.

She turned to face me. Four smaller heads turned with hers.

“You dropped a dollar.”

“Thanks” She stooped down and grabbed it just ahead of the oldest child.
She was clearly anxious to get back to business before the kids drove her
right up the wall. ( I know the expression on her face. I have seen it in the
mirror) And in that moment when she juuuuuuust stated to turn back to the
counter and we juuuuuuuust started to walk away, my five-year old son
blurted out in his biggest Outside Voice, “DAD. THOSE PEOPLE HAVE
REALLY DARK SKIN!”

Now a better man than myself would have stopped right on the spot and
conducted an After School Special-style lecture on the beauty of the rainbow
or something. But I chose to keep moving. I don’t think the lady wanted to be
part of a diversity workshop any more than I did. She had enough on her plate.

Without breaking stride, I said (in MY best Outside Voice), “Well, of course
they do. Everybody’s skin is different. Not everybody is as pale as your dad.”

And that was enough for Junior. He made an observation. It was acknowledged.
He moved on immediately to his next thought. Immediately. It happened so
quickly, that to the outside observer, I’m sure it sounded like the same conversation.  

His Outside Voice cut loose again. “THEY LOOK JUST LIKE LITTLE
WATERMELONS!”

He was, of course, referring to the contents of the gumball machine near the
counter. And they did look like little watermelons.

In my Really Big Outside Voice I replied, “Yes, those GUMBALLS do look like
WATERMELONS. I nearly jerked his little arm out of its socket as I pulled him
away from the scene of what was sure to become an ugly misunderstanding.