Lena Melton
Beyond Race
Characters:
Javier
Liana
Setting: Javier’s car
[It’s 2:00 a.m. Javier and Liana are an interracial couple who have been dating for four years. Javier is driving Liana home after another unsettling moment (regarding race) with Javier’s family.]
Liana: “Your dad needs to learn etiquette or manners or something.”
Javier: “Li, you know he didn’t mean it like that. You know he doesn’t mean any harm, he’s not like that.”
Liana: “Don’t you think it’s odd that he hands me a newspaper with a recent murder description and asks me, ‘This is around your neighborhood isn’t it?’ Murders happen every day in New Orleans, why out of nowhere would he ask me this and assume it’s around my neighborhood?
Javier: “You know how protective my parents are of me. He saw that I was bringing you home so… I don’t know, he just thought he’d ask.”
Liana: “So you’re saying it has nothing to do with the fact that I live in the 9th ward; or the fact that the 9th ward is a predominantly black community. He should have actually looked up whether or not that murder was even around my neighborhood. Not shove a paper in front of my face and assume it’s my neighborhood. Turns out it’s nowhere near where I live.”
[Javier shifts in the car seat uncomfortably and pushes down on the gas pedal a little harder.]
Javier: “He doesn’t think when he speaks. I mean when he saw the look on your face he even said, ‘not to offend you’. My parents say stupid stuff like that all the time. You usually don’t get this upset over it.”
Liana: “Well, this is the first time I actually feel offended. That’s my neighborhood, where I’ve grown up; I take a lot of pride in that. Kids ride their bikes around the neighborhood day and night. Just because there are a lot of deserted houses after Katrina, doesn’t make it dangerous. Worst of all you just stood there, letting your dad humiliate me in front of your entire family. You’re lucky I didn’t respond. I should have said, ‘No actually my neighborhood’s pretty safe. Were not a bunch of Ni**as running around shooting each other up.”
Javier: “Li !! You never say that word. What’s going on with you tonight, this isn’t like you at all?”
Liana: “Well that’s how your dad was looking at me. Like some common hood rat off the streets. If he thinks that then fine, I’ll really act like one.”
Javier: “So we’re playing this role again?”
Liana: “What role? What’re you talking about!?”
Javier: “The bourgeois black girl and the stereotypical uppity Hispanic family.”
Liana: “Don’t call me that, you know I’m not bourgeois.”
Javier: “Yes well you sure are acting like it. You’re so focused on race and how you look that you forget that maybe my dad was simply asking a question. Not even thinking about any racial implications.”
Liana: “Let’s face it Javier, the only reason your parents approve of us dating is because of the way I look, act, and speak. Your mom’s expressed how she feels about darker skinned black people and it wasn’t very pretty. Your parents look at me, the fact that I have money, my background, and they see I’m light skinned so they think I’m “safe enough” for their son to date.”
Javier: “How can you say things like that? My parents have taken you in as if you were their future daughter-in-law. Yes, my mom has said some really ignorant things about black people, but at the end of the day she has a good heart and you know it. Besides whatever their ideals are, that isn’t a reflection of my own ideals.”
Liana: [pauses and fiddles with her purse] “Yes, I suppose so.”
Javier: “Enough of the melodrama, let’s just enjoy the little time we have left together before we go back to work and school.”
Liana: “Fine.”
[Javier turns the radio to Q 93.3 hoping to ease the tension. A commercial for the club, The Duck Off, comes on.]
Liana: “We should try The Duck Off once, just to see how it is, we could really use some fun right about now.”
Javier: [smirking] “Uhhh, I don’t know, will they let me in?”
Liana: Of course! Why wouldn’t they let you in?”
[Silence]
Liana: “Well?!? Why wouldn’t they----oh because predominately a lot of black people go to it…”
Javier: “Well I just didn’t think they’d let me in.”
Liana: “You’re an idiot. This isn’t the 60’s Javier. Things aren’t “blacks only”, “Latino’s only” so of course they’d let you in.” Why would you ask such a question? I bet if I said, ‘Let’s go to Republic, or The Frat, or Amps you wouldn’t ask, ‘will they let me in’?”
Javier: “OKAY, I’m sorry, you’re right I wasn’t thinking. You know I’m not like that. It’s late and I’m tired. I’m sorry okay.”
Liana: “We’ve been together four years and this is the first time race is an issue, I don’t like it.”
Javier: “You’re just racially sensitive because of what happened with my dad earlier I’m gonna talk to him because I don’t want this happening again and I’m gonna think before I speak. Can we please just go back to Javier and Liana not black girl and Hispanic boy.”
Liana: “Yes, we can. Maybe we were wrong before. We can’t just ignore race. Yes, you’re Hispanic and I’m black but that doesn’t matter when it comes to us. We’ll find a way to bring the two cultures together.”
[Javier pulls into Liana’s driveway]
Javier: “Yes, I agree. Maybe both of us can try and be more understanding.”
Liana: “Alright well I’m exhausted emotionally. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll call it a night.”
[Javier and Liana kiss but Liana pauses before she gets out the car]
Liana: “So when people stare, you know when we’re out at restaurants or the malls and when people look surprised when we’re introduced as boyfriend and girlfriend, you don’t care?”
Javier: “Nope, that’s their problem not mine. I just tell myself they’re staring at how sexy we are and keep it movin’.”
Liana: [laughing] “Goodnight bae.”
Javier: “Goodnight love.”
[Liana gets out of Javier’s car feeling a little relieved about what’s in store for them in the future, as a couple.]
End
I liked the story as a whole and the idea behind it. However, many times I felt like the dialogue was too forced or overdone, and, in a way, too formal for a conversation between a couple in an argument.
ReplyDeleteFor example:
“How can you say things like that? My parents have taken you in as if you were their future daughter-in-law. Yes, my mom has said some really ignorant things about black people, but at the end of the day she has a good heart and you know it. Besides whatever their ideals are, that isn’t a reflection of my own ideals.”
And….
Javier: “Yes, I agree. Maybe both of us can try and be more understanding.”
Liana: “Alright well I’m exhausted emotionally. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll call it a night.”
However, there were lines that did flow more like a natural conversation between an arguing couple:
“Javier: “Enough of the melodrama, let’s just enjoy the little time we have left together before we go back to work and school.”
Liana: “Fine.”
[Javier turns the radio to Q 93.3 hoping to ease the tension. A commercial for the club, The Duck Off, comes on.]
Liana: “We should try The Duck Off once, just to see how it is, we could really use some fun right about now.”
Javier: [smirking] “Uhhh, I don’t know, will they let me in?”
Liana: Of course! Why wouldn’t they let you in?”
[Silence]
Liana: “Well?!? Why wouldn’t they----oh because predominately a lot of black people go to it…”
Javier: “Well I just didn’t think they’d let me in.”
Liana: “You’re an idiot. This isn’t the 60’s Javier. Things aren’t “blacks only”, “Latino’s only” so of course they’d let you in.” Why would you ask such a question? I bet if I said, ‘Let’s go to Republic, or The Frat, or Amps you wouldn’t ask, ‘will they let me in’?”
Javier: “OKAY, I’m sorry, you’re right I wasn’t thinking. You know I’m not like that. It’s late and I’m tired. I’m sorry okay.”
And…..
“Let’s face it Javier, the only reason your parents approve of us dating is because of the way I look, act, and speak. Your mom’s expressed how she feels about darker skinned black people and it wasn’t very pretty. Your parents look at me, the fact that I have money, my background, and they see I’m light skinned so they think I’m “safe enough” for their son to date.”
The only other issue I also had when reading was the ending. I felt like it was a but rushed and kind of easily resolved. I wish it could have been a little more extended as to how they agreed to resolve the issue instead of having it end so quickly.
I appreciate the comments and wanted to reply back to them. This is actually a real conversation between my boyfriend and I. I could defiantly see where you would think its formal but I tried to remember and write the convo word for word. To address the last comment, I wanted the ending to be ambiguous because the argument we had involving race, I felt that race issues or an argument involving race isn't something that can be solved. It was just something that has to be faced day by day and that was what I was trying to show at the end.
ReplyDelete* isn't something that can be solved overnight.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the fact that this piece is an actual conversation between you and your boyfriend, and especially that you decided to share that real-life experience.
ReplyDeleteI think the situation of conflicts that exist with interracial couples is very real and very relatable in today's society. No, this isn't the 1960s, and I do believe many of us in our generation have come a long way from that biased point-of-view, but many of us have parents who were raised with a segregated and stereotypical mindset. I like how you touch on that with the dialogue between Javier and Liana regarding Javier's father's subtle racist comment.
After reading your comment, I can see the take home message you wanted to instill to your readers at the end, that racial issues cannot be solved, but faced. However, while this is a piece that was an actual conversation, I don't think it would hurt to do a bit of "creative writing" and fill in some gaps that Veronica pointed out in the story, notably, the seemingly rushed ending. While both Liana and Javier may understand the message you are trying to get across, some readers (including myself) may not be able to catch on to that without the ending or several parts of the dialogue extending themselves a bit more. Maybe bring in other instances in Liana's relationship with Javier that exemplify their subtle racism and fuse it together with this actual conversation. By doing this, the authenticity of the conversation is still preserved; it would just be enhanced by the other instances in their relationship that relate to their current conversation.
I have never looked at that view point before ironically, my parents have grown up in a segregated culture, so I appreciate you bringing that to my attention and I will defiantly find a way to consider that in my paper. After your comment and Veronica's I will do some more thinking on a smoother ending, maybe something that'll be more obvious as to facing Racism; and more cathartic than my original ending. I appreciate your feedback.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the story as a whole and the topic it addresses. I know a few people in multi-racial relationships and parents often have this attitude, probably because of the culture they grew up in as someone already mentioned. I agree that at times the dialogue seemed a bit formal but the majority of it I thought was well written.
ReplyDeletei really liked the story and I could visualize it as if I were in the backseat. However, I feel like the dialogue was not as realistic as two young college students would be arguing. I think it was very safe and formal and could use a little more risk to make it more powerful/effective. Overall, I thought it was very good.
ReplyDeletei really like the dialogue between Javiar and liana. i could feel the tension of the conversation between. i was happy to see the conflict mostly resolved but like Veronica said it did feel rushed
ReplyDeleteI really liked this piece. You set up the story so that we immediately see the conflict. We know the background within a few sentences of dialogue, which takes us to the resolution by the end of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe story conveys a very interesting concept about society, or rather, how it is evolving. Like you said in the story, we are not living in the 60s. This type of relationship is happening more an more now, and its interesting to see how others react to this. I love the dialogue, the message you send, and the ending.
Woah, tension city! I loved the dialogue between Javiar and Iiana, it was so well done. When it comes to solving the conflict I had the same problem of rushing to completion, but other than that, it's great!
ReplyDelete