What ARE you?

I guess there's something about being biracial that intrigues white people. They think it's so...interesting...or something.

I went to Clinique to get some lipgloss and a quickliner (LOVELOVELOVE...PLUS it was FREE GIFT DAY!! Oh, makeup. I love thee), and one of the girls working there looked at me and said,

"You look JUST like Leona Lewis!"

I laughed a little, smiled, and said, "Wow, thank you!"

I mean, Leona Lewis is super beautiful...so, hey! I'll take it!

Then she proceeded to ask other employees around the different makeup counters if they thought I looked like her.

"Yeahh!"

"No, she's much prettier!" (hahah RIIIIGHT)

Then the girl was like, "You are just SO beautiful! You're just so exotic looking. I wish I was exotic looking. All these people come in who are mixed with something and they just look so beautiful. I'm just so boring and white."

I mean...what do you say to that?? Is there a way to properly respond without being super awkward?

I've never thought myself to be very pretty. I suppose I find myself decent looking...nothing beautiful or anything. I don't think I'm heinous looking, but, I'm no gorgeous human being.

However, my whole life I've become semi-used to comments like these...even though I still don't know how to respond to them.

Like...the women did this thing (that has happened a lot throughout my life) where they'll stare at me, stare at each other, comment (quite loudly) about how "beautiful I am" (HAHA) and stuff...I mean, seriously...how do you respond to that? It's so awkward.

I never meet someone without being asked, "What ARE you?!"..."You look so different!"

I sometimes enjoy letting people guess. I usually get some sort of Puerto Rican/Spanish/Mexican decent. I've had many people ask me if I could speak Spanish...or expect that I do...like ask me something in Spanish haha...hmm "HOLA?!"

A lot of people just think I'm white with a tan.

I think I throw people off because my eyes are green. I'm not sure, but, I guess it's just something I'll always have to live with.

My favorite is when people will argue with me that I am in fact NOT half black. Umm...I think I...er...know.

It makes my mom really mad when people ask me what I am. She always responds with,

"JUST TELL THEM YOU'RE A PERSON"

I think couples in a biracial relationship develop complexes. I'm pretty sure my mom has a complex.

Sorta like...

"Are you staring at us? Why are you staring at us? YES, I'm WHITE and my husband is BLACK, does that BOTHER YOU?!?! It DOESN'T BOTHER ME!!!"

hahah...

Heyy black & white is the shiznit. Women at Clinique are jealous.

~Cookie