An open letter to the man who yelled a slur at me on the street

Dear Sir,

You might not remember me. I would be surprised if you did, honestly, because I do not think I am that memorable. To you I was just another face in the crowd. Another body in a sea of other bodies that likely meant nothing to you.

But I remember you.

I remember you, unfortunately, because the word you yelled stayed with me for the rest of my day. It swam around in my head while I attempted to focus at work. It stuck to me while I took the bus home, like something on the bottom of my shoe. It clung to my skin even after a longer-than-usual shower. That word you yelled that day on the street ring in my ears even as I lay in my bed.

"Taxi."

Two syllables were all it took for you to completely alter my day, and you did it without a thought.

You called me a taxi, so you must think you know a lot about me. But the truth is, I know more about you from that one interaction then you will ever know about me. Perhaps your assumptions about me were based on my appearance, but everything I know about you is based on action. One action, a simple action, but a significant action nonetheless. I know that you are the type of person who doesn't care about his own appearance because you're willing to wildly wave in traffic just to call another person a "taxi." And you clearly don't care about other people, because you didn't even look back at how I reacted as you got into the yellow car that picked you up.

I can speculate all day about why you would call me a taxi, but the truth is I'll never know. That's probably because I cannot get in the mind of someone who finds it necessary to call random people names. It might make you feel stronger than me, or better than me. Or maybe it's because deep down inside, you have struggles of your own. Maybe, deep down inside, you know that you are a taxi. And you hate yourself for it.

You may not actually be a taxi yourself. I can never know that. But I do know that someone you love is a taxi. Someone you care about will one day tell you that they are a taxi, and every instance that you've ever yelled "taxi" will come rushing back to you. Then, you will have to deal with your words, just like I had to deal with them the day you yelled at me.

While your voice did damage me, that damage was temporary. I genuinely feel stronger today because of it. I am stronger, because despite what you called me, I am even more firm in my identity as a human being. I can look in the mirror and see that I am not yellow, nor do I have wheels, or a muffler, or four doors. I do not have any doors for that matter. I am not a stupid, ugly taxi. I am a stupid, ugly

Human.

Comments

Read These If You Have Nothing Better to Do

Three tips on getting your beach body that don't involve going to war with Iran

Summer is almost here, which means Americans will be heading to the beach, pool, and possibly the Middle East to start another genocidal war that will only further destabilize the region. Here are some tips that make sure you look good while also ensuring you don't kill hundreds of thousands of people. 1.) Stick to your diplomatic relationship and your workout routine. Having a set plan can go a loooong way in ensuring you get to the gym every week. Once you establish something that works, though, don't give up just because you get busy or you want to tarnish your predecessor's legacy. Abs don't show up in one week. Don't stop your workout just because your tummy doesn't get flat right away, or because of unfounded claims that the 2015 peace deal deal isn't working. As Dory from Finding Nemo famously says: 2.) Maintain a high-protein breakfast and avoid appointing John Bolton as your National Security Advisor. Any breakfast that inc...

Something you never want to hear from your significant other

It started out like a regular date night. Both of us had survived tough weeks at work, and we relished the chance to get away from it all. After paying for our meal, we weren't yet ready to head in, so we decided to go for a walk by the river. It was warm, but the breeze off the water soothed us. My partner and I held hands. We chitchatted. I don't remember what we talked about, but then he turned to me and told me something I will never forget. My first reaction after hearing these words was shock. I never in my life imagined I would hear something like that directed at me, especially from someone I cared about so deeply. Did he really just say that? I wondered. Even though I had heard him clearly, my only response was, "What?" He repeated. Again, every word entered my ear and soured all happy memories I had of my partner. Every warm feeling that I felt towards him was now ice cold, and it was just as shocking to hear the second time: A roller skating ...

Update

I don't post about myself on here very often, but it's important that I share a significant update in my life. I'm not sharing this so you feel sorry for me, or look up to me, or even feel proud of me. I'm sharing this so others can hear my story, so that others going through something similar can know that they're not alone. I don't intend for this to be shocking, so I'm just going to say it now: I ate an entire ham by myself last Thursday. Simply typing those words out sent a wave of mixed emotions over me. On one hand, I'm relieved to get this off my chest. It feels freeing to share such a meaningful part of my life. On the other hand, it's terrifying, because now that everyone reading this knows I ate an entire ham by myself last Thursday I face the risk of experiencing judgment, strange looks, or whispers behind my back. Please know, however, that I am still me. I am still your family member, friend, work acquaintance, or whatever it is tha...

Web-site Musings' Official 2020 Endorsement

I have covered politics before, in both opinion and factual pieces, but have always refrained from making endorsements because no one paid me to. This year is different, however, with crises that seem to increase more and more by the day. As someone who cares about the future of this country and the world, I am making this endorsement in the hopes that we make it to 2021 looking stylish, while also staying practical. For this reason, I am proud to endorse FLEXI Extra Sturdy Sunglasses With Color Lenses - Sleek Design, Men & Women SJ9083! This election is more important than ever, as the current occupant of the White House has refused to tackle some of our most pressing issues, such as giving your eyes the UV protection they need as you go about your daily routine. Scientists predict that all of y our friends will have the coolest shades while you are stuck looking boring and dull, and yet, the President has do ne nothing about this crisis. As a candidate, FLEXI Extra Sturd...

How to survive a recession while stranded at sea

Like many of you, I woke up in my lifeboat floating in the middle of the ocean to find out that the United States very may well be entering another recession. While you hear the word "recession" mentioned a lot by economists and on the lips of the wind as it sprays salty water across your life raft, not everyone knows what a recession is. A recession is basically what happens when rich people in suits point and frown at red numbers and down arrows. Anyone who has ever frowned before knows that it is not good to be frowning! What does that mean for you? You and your fellow shipwreck survivors are fully dependent on passing yachts to take you to safety. A recession, however, brings the buying of luxury boats lower than the murky bottom of the salty mistress your lifeboat is precariously resting on. With yacht sales down, there goes your ticket off this floating, rubber hell! How do you protect yourself? 1.) Work as much as you can. Jobs during a recession don'...

Web-site musings

Search This Blog