Yesterday, in the elevator - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 09-25-2008, 04:22 PM

I was asked by the other occupant, "Are you Arab?"

That might be the first time I have been asked that.

BarbaraGordon · 09-25-2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I was asked by the other occupant, "Are you Arab?"

That might be the first time I have been asked that.

Aw, man! The title suggested a much better anecdote than this.

myboynoah · 09-25-2008, 04:29 PM

So, what was your answer?

SeattleUte · 09-25-2008, 04:42 PM

Waters, if you keep disclosing our board mails, even in veiled ways, I'm going to have to stop communicating with you "off the record."

MikeWaters · 09-25-2008, 04:46 PM

Seriously, an African-American, whom I presume to have mental illness, asked me if I was an Arab.

One thing I have found out in my experiences in medicine: those with diagnoses of mental illness will ask the questions that polite people usually don't. As in, "why is your nose crooked?" "When is the last time you bought shoes?" "Is that a pimple or a tumor?"

SeattleUte · 09-25-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Seriously, an African-American, whom I presume to have mental illness, asked me if I was an Arab.

One thing I have found out in my experiences in medicine: those with diagnoses of mental illness will ask the questions that polite people usually don't. As in, "why is your nose crooked?" "When is the last time you bought shoes?" "Is that a pimple or a tumor?"

Children are the same. I heard National Book Award winner Sherman Alexi speak yesterday about his experience raising a special needs child. He said one of the most awkard things he has to deal with is when kids come to him, say, at the park, and ask what's wrong with his child. He feels like asking, "What's wrong with your parents that they haven't taught you not to ask stuff like this?" Alexi is very talented and funny and said this in just the right way.

The funniest thing he said is adults give him a look of trademark "Seattle leftist love."

09-25-2008, 04:22 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Yesterday, in the elevator I was asked by the other occupant, "Are you Arab?" That might be the first time I have been asked that.

09-25-2008, 04:29 PM	#3
myboynoah Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Memphis freakin' Tennessee!!!!! Posts: 4,530	So, what was your answer? __________________ Give 'em Hell, Cougars!!! Religion rises inevitably from our apprehension of our own death. To give meaning to meaninglessness is the endless quest of all religion. When death becomes the center of our consciousness, then religion authentically begins. Of all religions that I know, the one that most vehemently and persuasively defies and denies the reality of death is the original Mormonism of the Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Joseph Smith.

09-25-2008, 04:42 PM	#4
SeattleUte fairlds.org Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,665	Waters, if you keep disclosing our board mails, even in veiled ways, I'm going to have to stop communicating with you "off the record." __________________ Interrupt all you like. We're involved in a complicated story here, and not everything is quite what it seems to be. —Paul Auster

09-25-2008, 04:46 PM	#5
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Seriously, an African-American, whom I presume to have mental illness, asked me if I was an Arab. One thing I have found out in my experiences in medicine: those with diagnoses of mental illness will ask the questions that polite people usually don't. As in, "why is your nose crooked?" "When is the last time you bought shoes?" "Is that a pimple or a tumor?"