Yikes!
Last week I had pretty long hair. It fell in a moppy mess down over most of my ears, which for me is not the most flattering look. I also went for a run last week. Running through a flat, suburban neighborhood, I passed a sort of major street that broke off to the left. A minivan waited at the stop sign for me, and I checked to make sure the driver saw me. I couldn't tell, as the light reflected off the wrong part of the windshield, but I could see a young teenage girl in the passenger seat. I thought I also made out a few people in the back, but I couldn't be sure as I made my turn to semi-circle the van (it keeps me safe--I've been crossing in front of a car before only to have it lurch at me). Right about the time I was directly behind the van, I heard the distinctive schcklack that automatic door locks make. Interesting. I wasn't quite sure what they were expecting of me at a stop light in the middle of the day in this part of town, but I decided it must have had something to do with my unkempt hair and scruff. I wasn't insulted, I just thought it was funny and worth sharing. Now, I'll never know how it feels to be black, but this was a truly interesting experience.