We experienced our first racist encounter the other day when we were out and about with our Fresh Air Kid (FAK). We went to TJ Maxx in search of some swim trunks for my nephew. Then we walked around the store, ending up in the men's section where L was looking at some shirts. There was a woman with a cart around the corner of one long rack of shirts. Apparently the boys got close to her cart (which was obstructed by the rack so I could not see what was in it), and the FAK touched something in it. "Ai, ai, ai, ai," the woman screeched. We all turned. "Don't touch that," she said to him. L reminded the boys to not touch things that don't belong to them, and then facetiously thanked the lady. Her response was this: "Don't worry. I said it in a way that he'd understand." I really wanted to have her clarify that but we walked on. Both L and I were seething. Does any child not know the meaning of no? Why would a child, who happens to be black, respond to ai, ai, ai, ai better than no?

That's the world for you.