All Are Equal-人人平等

AllAreEqual|人人平等　　Ihaveoftengonetoaparticularrestaurantwithmymother,whoiswhite.Ninety-fivepercentofthecustomersandallthepeopleworkingintherestaurantarewhite,soIthinkitissafetosayitisawhiterestaurant.IalwayslongtogotherebecausetheyhavefriedfisheveryFridayandIlovefriedfish.Irememberthesmellofthefishandthearcade5games.Ineverstayedatourtableforlong,sinceIalwaysaskedmymotherforaquarter6to“playagame,justone.”Ofcourse,itneverwasjustone.FinallyIalwayslostandwouldrunbacktoherformorecoinsandadrinkofthegreatestdrinkevermade.Mr.Pibb7.Shealwaysgavemethemoneywithoutcomplaint.JustintomythirdgameIwouldhearmymothercallmebackbecausethefoodhadcome.Ilovedthatrestaurant.　　IloveditsomuchIwantedmydad,whoisblack,toenjoyit,too.IbeggedhimtotakemeoneFriday.Hesaidhehadbeenthereonceanddidn’treallycaretogoback,notsayingwhy.However,hefinallygaveinto8myrequests.　　WhenwearrivedIwasmetwiththatpleasantsmelloffriedfish.MydadandIweregreetedbythehostessandtoldtherewouldbea20-minutewait.IneverthoughtthatIhadneverhadtowaitbefore.Onceseated,Iaskedformoneyforthegames.　　Iplay,andreachedthehighestscoreIhadevergotten.Smiling,IranbacktomydadandnoticedtherewasnoMr.Pibb.Iaskedwhereitwas,andhesaidnoonehadcometotakehisorder9.Hesooncalledawaitress,butshesaidourtablewasnothersandshe’dgetourwaitress.Isaid,“Itdoesn’tmatter.”Andwenttoplaymoregames.　　WhenIcameback,withoutahighscore,therestillwasnoMr.Pibb.Mydadtoldmetostayatthetablewhilehetalkedtothemanager.Therestaurantwasloud,butIcouldtelltheirconversationwasnotpleasant.Mydadcomebackandsaid,“Let’sgo.”Iaskedwhyandhesaidcoldly,“Weneedto.I’lltellyoulater.”　　Assoonaswegethome,mydadsatmedown.Hetoldmethatwhenhewenttothatrestaurantyearsago,beforeIwasborn,thewaiterswererudeandservedhisfoodcold10.Hetoldmethatwhenheaskedwhy,thewaitresssaid,“Isn’tthathowyourpeoplelikeit?”Mydadsaidhecomplainedtothemanager,whosaid,“Ifyoudon’tlikeit,leave.”　　Mydadvowed11nevertogoback,butmypleading12hadchangedhismind.Hehadhopedtherestaurantmighthavechanged,butithadnot.Whenhecomplainedtothemanager,adifferentmanager,he,toosaid,“Ifyoudon’tlikeit,leave.”　　Thismademesad.Thenexttimemymotheraskedmetogotothatrestaurant,ItoldherIdidn’twanttogo.Whensheaskedwhy,Isaid,“Itisn’tmytypeofrestaurant.”Ineverwentback.Thatexperiencehelpedmerealizeallarenotequal.=========================