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Old 09-06-2010, 05:55 PM
DerailAmnesty.com DerailAmnesty.com is offline
"SZinWestLA"
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SoCal
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bri-M View Post
When times are good they let treat gringos like they aren't welcome in their establishments. Us gringos go elsewhere to shop.
Stupid as it is they limit their customer base and screw themselves in the process.
That hasn't been my experience. Every time I've patronized businesses that serve an almost entirely minority clientele, they've always seemed happy to see me, or a combination of stunned and happy to see me.

Anecdotal Examples:

- When I lived in New Orleans, I had an apartment about a block and a half off St. Charles Avenue (nice old southern Victorian houses, uptown section, right near where Mardi Gras parades go by). Two blocks past me was an area my neighbors used to refer to as The War Zone. No one lighter than Mariah Carey would dream of walking in there. At least not anybody who had lived in the Crescent City for more than a month. Me, I wasn't hung up about traipsing through there (which immediately made me, to the locals, some sort of weirdo with a death wish), but I wouldn't have set even a toe in there after sundown.

It just so happened that at the edge of this section was a corner grocery that was a about a block closer to my residence than the nearest one in the habitable-for-white-folks section near St. Charles. Consequently, about once a month (over a period of two years), I sauntered into this establishment (often wearing a suit) to purchase a carton of milk, toilet paper, a bottle of beer, etc. etc.). About the first three times I went up to the register, the people behind it looked genuinely stunned. The shock lasted for about 5 to 8 seconds, then a look of happiness/hope washed over the proprietor/family member pulling a shift. Why, because I'm so great? Hardly. I'm white and these folks would be THRILLED to get the business of yuppies, private college students, locals and retirees who lived a few blocks away and happened to be wrapped in melanin-deprived skin. They understood, however, that there were limitations to the customers they could hope to attract into their area, based upon reasons that every southerner understands. Me, I was just some sort of freak occurence in their universe made possible by having grown up on the West Coast. Those folks were faultlessly polite and friendly to me once they got over the shock of the initial visits.

- My sister has been dating a Mexican guy for a little over a year. He's a nice enough character who has repeatedly told us (Mom, Sis, Wife) that we don't have a clue where the truly spectacular Mexican food in L.A. can be found. He is a particular fan of tortas and had made mention, several times, of this little mobile camper (unhitched from any vehicle) that serves the best in all of SoCal. It is located in Illegal Alien Central, south of the I-10, but just west of downtown.

Finally, after months of this having come up in various conversations, Sister's Boyfriend, Asian Wife, Even-Paler-Than-Sam Sister and I headed over on a Saturday afternoon, to said dining facility. This place, which is situated in the parking lot of a run-down liquor store, and must be in violation of a couple dozen health code provisions, serves no beverages. To get something to drink, one must patronize the run-down liquor store (that also sells dusty pinatas!).

My sister had made it very clear to me, beforehand, that I was not to even think of reaching for my wallet at any time during this trip b/c, apparently, Boyfriend (who is not the wealthiest guy in the world) had felt somewhat uncomfortable on about the half dozen occasions he had gone out to dinner with my family (and I picked up the bill). Consequently, when Boyfriend went into the liquor store I ordered nothing at the Torta stand/camper. I simply stood there with my sister and wife in the parking lot and translated the Spanish language menu. My sister hadn't been to this place before, our Mexican guide was nowhere to be seen (inside the liquor store buying Modelo), and to say that we looked out of place (particularly, I guess, to the non-English speakers eating their food while sitting on plastic buckets and crates), would probably be a grand understatement. Not only that, but we had arrived in a vehicle that only a drug dealer or pimp would have in that section of town (sans the rims).

Anway, as I'm standing there reading the menu, out of this steaming hot camper came two Latinas, who I'd guess were in their late 20's. Both spoke some English and approached us with beaming smiles. They asked us if we had any questions and, you could see, they were dying to ask "How the f did you three wind up here?" All questions (I guess) were answered when, shortly thereafter, Boyfriend exited the liquor store with brewskis in hand and headed over to where we were located.

On an even more entertaining/interesting note, the second one approached my wife as the first one was talking to me and said "Knee how, ma ...," to which my spouse promptly replied "I'm not Chinese." This girl didn't miss a beat and immediately switched over to rudimentary Japanese.

Based upon that, I assumed that this young lady (and maybe her sister) were from TJ, because the majority of the street vendors there know at least a little Chinese or Japanese, and use it to attract Asian visitors.

And as a side note to conclude the story, the food was superb. I don't know how many squirrels or family pets gave their lives in its creation, but it was delicious.

What is the moral of these stories? Proprietors want customers. And if you're white, that's usually an extra point or two b/c they usually figure you have money to spend. They'll be nice to you, even if they don't like "your kind" (blue eyed, continent stealing, too-lazy-to-do-real-work white devils) b/c they want your money. In a perfect universe, they want you to speak well about them/their products/their service and send your equally white/financially comfortable cohorts their way. Capitalism is capitalism, folks. Green trumps skin color.

That's been my experience, at least. With blacks and browns (and yellows found overseas, now that I think about it). The worst thing that can happen is they'll charge you the price they reserve for white folks.
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Last edited by DerailAmnesty.com; 09-06-2010 at 06:05 PM.
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