FREE TO BE ME

I SPENT THE MORNING FINISHING SECOND HALF OF PUZZLE.  AFTER LUNCH I SWAM AND STRETCHED.  WHILE GETTING DRESSED IN THE LOCKER ROOM I WAS SITTING PUTTING ON MY BOOTS.  WHITE EUROPEAN OLDER WOMAN COMES IN ASKING AND EXPECTING ME TO MOVE SO SHE'S CLOSER TO HER LOCKER.  MY LOCKER WAS IN FRONT OF ME AND SHE WANTED ME TO MOVE TO THE FAR SIDE IF THE BENCH.  I TOLD HER SHE CAN USE THAT SIDE.  THE OTHER BENCH WAS EMPTY.  JUST THE TWO OF US. 

SHE SAYS CAN'T I DO HER A LITTLE FAVOR.  I SAID NO.  SHE SAYS I DON'T OWN THE BENCH I MUST MOVE.  I SAID SHE DOESN'T OWN IT EITHER SHE CAN USE THE OTHER HALF.  SHE SAYS SHE'S NEVER BEEN TREATED SO RUDELY IN HER LIFE.  I SAID I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WHEN SHE COMES IN A WHITE WOMAN EXPECTING THE REST OF THE WORLD TO REVOLVE AROUND HER.  I'VE BEEN TREATED RUDELY BY WHITE PEOPLE MANY TIMES.  SHE'S NOT SPECIAL OR USUAL.  PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND SHE HAS TO POSTURE HER SUPERIORITY.  SHE SAYS I'M USING THE ENTIRE BENCH WHEN ANOTHER WOMAN COMES IN AND USES THE OTHER HALF.  SHE TELLS ME TO STOP TALKING I TELL HER HER FIRST SHE STARTED IT.  SHE CONTINUES COMPLAINING I'M RUDE I TELL HER IT'S HER.  SHE NEEDS TO STOP TALKING FIRST.  SHE SAYS SHE'S NOT TALKING.  JESSICA COMES IN ASKING WHAT'S GOING ON.  SHE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING.  JESSICA SAYS ANYONE CAN COME TALK TO HER AND LEAVES. 

BULLY SNEAKS OUT THE BACK GOES TO JESSICA'S OFFICE.  I STAND OUTSIDE WAITING FOR HER TO FINISH.  I TELL JESSICA HOW SHE UNREASONABLY EXPECTED ME TO BACK DOWN TO HER DEMANDS COUCHED IN FAKE RESPECT.  SHE'S NOT THE FIRST WHITE WOMAN TO FIGURE ASIAN WOMEN AREN'T EQUAL.  JESSICA SAID SHE GOT THE PICTURE AND SOME PEOPLE JUST CAN'T BE REASONABLE..  SHE APOLOGIZED THAT AFTER MY WORKOUT I COULDN'T JUST ENJOY IT BECAUSE OF THE TROUBLE MAKER.  I THANKED HER.

I HUNG OUT 'TIL 4:30 READING THE PAPER.  THE AFTERNOON WAS CLOUDY AND DRY LOVELY.