A few years ago, I was in Bangalore with a white colleague who was a few levels junior to me. Throughout the trip, people assumed she was the decision-maker because she was white. I would walk into a meeting and wait for the presentation to begin when one psycophantic man after another would parade themselves in front of us, looking at her for approval. It was always good fun.
Then on the last day, the company CEO threw a party for us in one of the city hotels. There were an assorted number of people who attended the party. I had a feeling that I was just a sideshow to my colleague's featured attraction. As the evening wound down, the wife of CEO went to my colleague and said, "My daughter is so disappointed that she could not come to the party to meet Patti Aunty" thereby exhibiting more levels of ignorance than I knew existed. Then realizing that I was standing right there, she added, "and YOU."
"Of course," I said smiling.
Until then, I was doing a good job of protecting Indians and Indian reverse-racism from Patti. But at the point, I couldn't take it anymore. So, on the way to our hotel, I explained to her in fairly good detail how things work in India.
The day before, I was sitting in a coffee shop when an American approached me.
"Are you a programmer," he asked.
"No," I said, not really understanding.
"Never mind," he continued, "if you want to move to America, I can recruit you. I am looking for programmers. But you have to get familiar with computers."
He was scamming suckers for money with promises to a move to the dreamland.
I told him I lived in Connecticut. He looked so uncomfortable and disappointed.
But only for a short minute. By the time I left, he was holding court with a bunch of young men in the same coffee shop. Patti "aunty" was doing some shopping.
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I never learn.
Even when I ought to know better.
I am disappointed and esurient.
Enough said.
I had forgotten how to feel this way.
A bloody Mary brings back memories.
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