Because of Your Skin

Installation number 2 of the Erika saga.

So I come into class looking adorable (exhibit A: The myspace pic) I was a few minutes early and when I sit down, a girl to my left compliments my shirt. Before I can even say thank you, Erika says "and nice shirt too." I smile and say thank you and cite Forever 21 and H&M as the two stores who made this outfit possible. I settled in a little bit into my chair and Erika, from two rows of seats away slowly says, "Are you from... Greek descent?"

"No, Peruvian"

I get a look from Erika. You know how some people look like animals? Erika looks like a puffy faced fish, not a puffer fish, just a fish that might have gotten punched in the face a few too many times. Her blank stare is reminiscent of the glazed over eyes of a freshly iced trout.

In an effort not to lose myself in the black holes of her pupils, I said, "Sorry if that's disappointing...?"

"Oh no," Erika's had a cold since the beginning of school, her nasally voice is grating, "I just ask 'cause of your skin"

"Yeah, I'm kinda yellow..."

And that was it. She didn't elaborate at all. Didn't say, "oh no, that came out weird" or anything. I wasn't offended, I'm not an idiot. However, it does kind of piss me off that she thinks that's cool to say. I'm torn over whether it's because she's black, and minorities don't feel weird calling out other minorities (maybe?) or she's an idiot and didn't know any better. Either way, is that cool to say to people? "Oh, I'm asking because your skin is a strange color I'm not used to" is acceptable? I'd never think to say *just* that. I might say that and add something about someone's features or whatever.

Oh well, I kind of got complimented on having a tan, racism or not, that's pretty cool.