Things Are Not ALWAYS What They Seem

Things Are Not ALWAYS What They Seem

24 May, 2014
Houston

Colonoscopies are never fun. They are a necessary evil in our never -ending war with cancer. Years ago my doctor sent me to have one, so I took off from work.   

We had just moved to the town of Lafayette, LA. from New Orleans. 
An avid reader, during this period I was into WWII history. Anticipating a lengthy wait at the doctor's, I brought along my current book, walked in, filled out the required forms, and had a seat in the waiting room.

Situational awareness is not my long suit. It took me some time to become acquainted with the fact that I was the only white person in the room. This did not bother me at all; I just happened to notice it, and returned to my book. 

A few minutes later I looked up and saw the doctor I had an appointment with, talking to his staff. The doctor, too, it turned out, was black. I had never had an African-American doctor attend me before, so this was a first for me. 

I resumed my heavy reading. The minutes passed slowly, as time often does when awaiting and anticipating an unpleasant medical procedure. 

As I said, I am not situationally aware. I am, however, more perceptive than the average person, and I indeed perceived something.

There was a general discomfort in the room that I couldn't account for. I took it at first to perhaps to be my own insecurity, being totally surrounded by persons of a different race. I dismissed this immediately, but the feeling persisted. 

I looked up from my book, and glanced casually at the people in the room around me. They were uncomfortable, and would give me suspicious glances from time-to-time. Nobody spoke a word.

What's the story here? This can't be the first time these people have seen a white man, I thought. I went back to WWII.

My name was called, and I went through the ordeal, unpleasant as it was, even passing out once during the procedure. Then I went home. 

Still, I wondered what it was about me that made those folks so uncomfortable. Sitting in my armchair, recuperating from the colonoscopy, I reached for the book I was reading. It was on top of a coffee table nearby, as was the answer to my question about what happened back at that doctor's office.

MY BOOK!!  It was the cover of the BOOK I was reading that made those people uncomfortable:  The cover featured a prominent 卐 SWASTIKA in a white field, on a solid black background. These people must have taken me for a neo-Nazi!

In hindsight, perhaps I could have covered the book to avoid offending somebody ....or maybe they could have looked closer, at the title: "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich." 

I wondered how much pain comes from a simple misunderstanding, and how hard feelings can come from that pain. Hard feelings in turn become hate, hate into action, and somebody's body is lying face-down on a sidewalk, lined in chalk. 

PERCEPTIONS