Poo On Them!

Yesterday was supposed to be a fun day of me spending time with Eva and Daybreak. Walk to go see Igor as the theatre is only four blocks from their apartment and then go to Ben & Jerry's. The movie was funny and Daybreak has now asked for a stuffed version of Igor for her birthday.

It was a nice scene. Daybreak was holding our hands with me and Eva on either side of her. Me and Daybreak were talking about what flavour of ice cream was better, strawberry or chocolate. Just as I am getting her around to the wonders of strawberry, Eva breaks in with this line:

"There is nothing like vanilla ice cream on hot apple pie."

Green eyes meet brown and we came to an accord. Vanilla was clearly superior this day.

Now I've learned something about Daybreak. Even if she has her own food, she will want some of yours. If you deny her, then she will get creative about it. She was trying to lick some of Eva's vanilla cone when she stopped and looked at her mom like she had a question.

She starts looking at the table more than us and slowly asks a question that broke my heart to hear.

"Mommy, what's a nigar lover?"

Eva turns wide eyes to me and I slowly try to reboot my brain from its 404. I was praying in my head that I heard her incorrectly. So I ask where she heard that.

She tells us how during the movie, she heard these two old harpies talking about how wrong it was for a sambo and his trashy nigger lover to be together. These were not her exact words but they were close enough that we both understand what those women had meant.

We had to explain to a child, not even four years-old yet, that some people would not like me and her mom together.

Daybreak: So people don't like you and Papa together because Papa's black?
Me: Sadly, yes.
Daybreak: But isn't it good that you, Mommy, and me aren't all the same? It makes us not boring. They shouldn't call you names.
Eva: Yes it does Sweetie.
Daybreak: Grandma likes you and Papa. Aunties Three like him. Why don't other people?
Me: Because they're blind.
Daybreak: Well poo on them!

She then proceeds to crawl into my lap and give me a very sticky ice cream kiss on the cheek. Turning to face the rest of the shop, sh proclaims she loves her Papa and that anyone who didn't like it could go eat poo. Please note that this was at the top of her lungs.

One older woman actually came up to us and said we were raising a very smart child who other people could learn from. Eva looks right at me and says, "yes we are." The rest of the night passed without incident.

As she was helping me make breakfast for Eva, she looked up from the pancake batter she was mixing and said that she hoped one day people could be happy for me and Eva like she was.

I love the way children think.