More of the same by Jonah Phillips part two
she said to Kilimanjaro , “I’m so sorry you had to go for his Bernard. I’ll pay you double the usual for your work.”
“Thanks Mrs. Mostov,” Bernard replied, deciding to take the money as a small comfort to having to deal once again with racial prejudice. Then the woman with the white cowboy hat was spoken up earlier said, “My name is Petunia, mr. Kilimanjaro, and this is my daughter peach. What just happened to you is proof that the old saying the more things change the more they stay the same.”
Her daughter nodded in agreement and added, “changing racist laws, unfortunately, does not change racist attitudes. Some people choose to live in a bubble, to remain insulated within their own preconceived notions rather than educate themselves and except or learn the truth.”
“Damn right they do,” Kilimanjaro replied in a long suffering voice. Then a man with strawberry blonde hair and wearing a longsleeve shirt that had an American flag design with matching pants and shoes said, “I got it all on tape, my man. So your boss won’t need the security footage, at least not for this incident. If you want, I can send it to the Internet and make that stupid guard famous. I’ll blot out your face on it if you want to as well!”
He held up an iPhone, which had a violet plastic casing around it. Bernard nodded saying, “ yes I’d like both of those things, and thanks for offering.”
Then the French-Afro-Haitian man sat down and started to eat. After what he just been through the pizza tasted much less delicious. No sooner had he finish his food, including the breadsticks on a drink, he heard the mall intercom.
“Will Bernard Kilimanjaro please come to the mall manager’s office? You can use the bathroom if you need to first.” a female voice said. Bernard thought to himself ‘I guess Soncnica called them’ before standing up picking up the baby and walking towards the manager’s office. The floor inside of it was covered with a jade green carpet that had gold Buddha designed onto it. The walls were painted yellow, in in front of the center of the north wall was a mahogany desk. Behind it sat a woman in her 60s with white hair they look like sheep will yeah it didn’t look for fragile. On the left side of her desk was a jar of pencils, scissors, rulers, and other office supplies. On the right side was a wireless black rectangular shaped intercom unit. The woman who was wearing a black suit and black skirt that covered her knees along with black leather penny loafers, walked up to him and put both of her hands on his shoulders.
“I’m so sorry that you had to experience racist behavior from a customer in from one of my own security guards, Mr. Kilimanjaro. I can assure you that female customer will be permanently banned from the Florida mall, and that security guard will be immediately fired once I’m done talking to you. And no, I’m not doing this to avoid the consequences. Your boss mentioned. I’m doing it because it was wrong and disgusting. I will also give Mrs. Mostov the security footage like she asked for. Because it’s like that she should not get to ruin peoples lives and go on living theirs!”
“You’re right ma’am they shouldn’t,” Bernard replied. Then the old woman, whose name tag said Mrs. Dole-Sanford, turned her attention to baby Iovec saying that he looks so adorable and asking Kilimanjaro to tell her about how he had met this “precious little man“ along with his mother.
“ I was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ma’am and I’ve lived around my life. You know I’ve gone to other states and countries. I take photographs of domestic and wild animals for living, giving their pictures to book authors and filmmakers. I first me Soncnica 3 months ago when she was touring the Everglades with her baby and husband, they were using a boat. I came to like both of them since unlike so many white folks and folks of all colors, they looked past their ingrained presuppositions and prejudices intrigued him like a human being. Their son, Iovec, immediately took a liking to me, laughing when I peered down at him. Later on that very same when all of us were away from the Everglades and heading back into town at sunset, she and her husband asked me to babysit him. They work a lot, Soncnica with her company rubber from the roots and her husband with his company building the blocks, regularly, higher sitters, and nanny‘s to take care of Iovec. But none of those people have worked for them as long as I have.”
Dole-Sanford nodded with a smile at his explanation, and then said, “if you’re going to leave them all after this, and I wouldn’t blame you if you do, let me walk you to your car, so that you won’t be a cost it again. I know it sucks, but having someone wait with you since you’re watching a white baby will dissuade a lot of suspicion.”
“You’re right ma’am it will. And just be clear I didn’t come here in a car, I came here on a motorcycle. it’s painted with orange and black tiger stripes,“ he corrected her.
“Oh so an animal lover, are you?!“
“Yes ma’am, I am!”
Then the mall manager move to stand beside him and grabbed his other arm, and both of men his 30s and the elderly woman in her 60s left the office. While walking out of the mall, she carefully scanned the halls for anyone giving him disgusted or disdainful looks, and she glared fiercely at them, causing them to look away.
“Thanks Mrs. Mostov,” Bernard replied, deciding to take the money as a small comfort to having to deal once again with racial prejudice. Then the woman with the white cowboy hat was spoken up earlier said, “My name is Petunia, mr. Kilimanjaro, and this is my daughter peach. What just happened to you is proof that the old saying the more things change the more they stay the same.”
Her daughter nodded in agreement and added, “changing racist laws, unfortunately, does not change racist attitudes. Some people choose to live in a bubble, to remain insulated within their own preconceived notions rather than educate themselves and except or learn the truth.”
“Damn right they do,” Kilimanjaro replied in a long suffering voice. Then a man with strawberry blonde hair and wearing a longsleeve shirt that had an American flag design with matching pants and shoes said, “I got it all on tape, my man. So your boss won’t need the security footage, at least not for this incident. If you want, I can send it to the Internet and make that stupid guard famous. I’ll blot out your face on it if you want to as well!”
He held up an iPhone, which had a violet plastic casing around it. Bernard nodded saying, “ yes I’d like both of those things, and thanks for offering.”
Then the French-Afro-Haitian man sat down and started to eat. After what he just been through the pizza tasted much less delicious. No sooner had he finish his food, including the breadsticks on a drink, he heard the mall intercom.
“Will Bernard Kilimanjaro please come to the mall manager’s office? You can use the bathroom if you need to first.” a female voice said. Bernard thought to himself ‘I guess Soncnica called them’ before standing up picking up the baby and walking towards the manager’s office. The floor inside of it was covered with a jade green carpet that had gold Buddha designed onto it. The walls were painted yellow, in in front of the center of the north wall was a mahogany desk. Behind it sat a woman in her 60s with white hair they look like sheep will yeah it didn’t look for fragile. On the left side of her desk was a jar of pencils, scissors, rulers, and other office supplies. On the right side was a wireless black rectangular shaped intercom unit. The woman who was wearing a black suit and black skirt that covered her knees along with black leather penny loafers, walked up to him and put both of her hands on his shoulders.
“I’m so sorry that you had to experience racist behavior from a customer in from one of my own security guards, Mr. Kilimanjaro. I can assure you that female customer will be permanently banned from the Florida mall, and that security guard will be immediately fired once I’m done talking to you. And no, I’m not doing this to avoid the consequences. Your boss mentioned. I’m doing it because it was wrong and disgusting. I will also give Mrs. Mostov the security footage like she asked for. Because it’s like that she should not get to ruin peoples lives and go on living theirs!”
“You’re right ma’am they shouldn’t,” Bernard replied. Then the old woman, whose name tag said Mrs. Dole-Sanford, turned her attention to baby Iovec saying that he looks so adorable and asking Kilimanjaro to tell her about how he had met this “precious little man“ along with his mother.
“ I was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ma’am and I’ve lived around my life. You know I’ve gone to other states and countries. I take photographs of domestic and wild animals for living, giving their pictures to book authors and filmmakers. I first me Soncnica 3 months ago when she was touring the Everglades with her baby and husband, they were using a boat. I came to like both of them since unlike so many white folks and folks of all colors, they looked past their ingrained presuppositions and prejudices intrigued him like a human being. Their son, Iovec, immediately took a liking to me, laughing when I peered down at him. Later on that very same when all of us were away from the Everglades and heading back into town at sunset, she and her husband asked me to babysit him. They work a lot, Soncnica with her company rubber from the roots and her husband with his company building the blocks, regularly, higher sitters, and nanny‘s to take care of Iovec. But none of those people have worked for them as long as I have.”
Dole-Sanford nodded with a smile at his explanation, and then said, “if you’re going to leave them all after this, and I wouldn’t blame you if you do, let me walk you to your car, so that you won’t be a cost it again. I know it sucks, but having someone wait with you since you’re watching a white baby will dissuade a lot of suspicion.”
“You’re right ma’am it will. And just be clear I didn’t come here in a car, I came here on a motorcycle. it’s painted with orange and black tiger stripes,“ he corrected her.
“Oh so an animal lover, are you?!“
“Yes ma’am, I am!”
Then the mall manager move to stand beside him and grabbed his other arm, and both of men his 30s and the elderly woman in her 60s left the office. While walking out of the mall, she carefully scanned the halls for anyone giving him disgusted or disdainful looks, and she glared fiercely at them, causing them to look away.
31-35, M