I like what the Declaration of Independence1 says, “All men are created eual.”2 I firmly3 believe in this. I'm two races, black and white, and I consider myself equal to anyone. My parents taught me to be accepting of all people. My mother said, “Treat others as you would have them treat you.” I think I do a good job following this and have always believed that if I was compassionate4 to others I could expect the same in return. My dad always told me that if I respected people they would respect me, but I've realized this is not always true.
I have often gone to a particular restaurant with my mother, who is white. Ninety-five percent of the customers and all the people working in the restaurant are white, so I think it is safe to say it is a white restaurant. I always long to go there because they have fried fish every Friday and I love fried fish. I remember the smell of the fish and the arcade5 games. I never stayed at our table for long, since I always asked my mother for a quarter6 to “play a game, just one.” Of course, it never was just one. Finally I always lost and would run back to her for more coins and a drink of the greatest drink ever made. Mr.Pibb7. She always gave me the money without complaint. Just into my third game I would hear my mother call me back because the food had come. I loved that restaurant.
I loved it so much I wanted my dad, who is black, to enjoy it, too. I begged him to take me one Friday. He said he had been there once and didn't really care to go back, not saying why. However, he finally gave in to8 my requests.
When we arrived I was met with that pleasant smell of fried fish. My dad and I were greeted by the hostess and told there would be a 20-minute wait. I never thought that I had never had to wait before. Once seated, I asked for money for the games.
I play, and reached the highest score I had ever gotten. Smiling, I ran back to my dad and noticed there was no Mr.Pibb. I asked where it was, and he said no one had come to take his order9. He soon called a waitress, but she said our table was not hers and she'd get our waitress. I said, “It doesn't matter.” And went to play more games.
When I came back, without a high score, there still was no Mr.Pibb. My dad told me to stay at the table while he talked to the manager. The restaurant was loud, but I could tell their conversation was not pleasant. My dad come back and said, “Let's go.” I asked why and he said coldly, “We need to. I'll tell you later.”
As soon as we get home, my dad sat me down. He told me that when he went to that restaurant years ago, before I was born, the waiters were rude and served his food cold10. He told me that when he asked why, the waitress said, “Isn't that how your people like it?” My dad said he complained to the manager, who said, “If you don't like it, leave.”
My dad vowed11 never to go back, but my pleading12 had changed his mind. He had hoped the restaurant might have changed, but it had not. When he complained to the manager, a different manager, he, too said, “If you don't like it, leave.”
This made me sad. The next time my mother asked me to go to that restaurant, I told her I didn't want to go. When she asked why, I said, “It isn't my type of restaurant.” I never went back. That experience helped me realize all are not equal.
1． Declaration of Independence 美国《独立宣言》
2． All men are created equal: 人生来都是平等的
3． firmly ] adv．坚定的
4． compassionate adj．富于同情心的
5． arcade n．拱廊
6． quarter n．二角五分硬币
7． Mr．Pibb 饮料名
8． give in to 让步，屈服
9． take his order 叫他点菜
10． 此句意为：侍者们很没礼貌，给他端上来的饭菜都是凉的。
11． vow [vau] v．发誓
12． pleading n．恳求