Noticing Race

Tonight Jeffy and Taylor were out in the yard running through the sprinkler.  Taylor, my little blue eyed blone, broke her arm about two weeks ago (she's four) and has a cast so we had a bag wrapped around it and she finally started cooling off. I babysit her a few days a week. 

Her brother Jeffy is a cute little brown haired boy with huge green eyes.  Jeffy saw a boy he goes to school with (he's seven) and they started talking and playing in the sprinkler.  My son, who is mixed race, black and caucasian stood on the porch watching the fun.  We are a very multi-cultural neighborhood and family.

My son was (he's 15)standing on the porch and the seven year old  neighbor boy who is Samoan looked up and stared at him.  He turned to Jeffy (who is white) and asked..."Why does he live with you?" 

Jeffy, puzzled looked at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well," said the little boy,"how can he live with you...he's black."

"Oh, I don't live here."  Jeffy replied.  "His Dad's black.  He lives here."

"Don't you live here?"  asked the little Samoan boy.

"No," Jeffy replied, "I'm pink."

"You aren't pink," replied the little boy.  "You look white to me."

"Only where the sun doesn't shine." Jeffy replied and they went back to playing in the sprinkler while I sat cracking up on the front porch.