I know...

One cannot help but be affected by the political events happening here in the U.S. and around the world too, as the virus continues to rage, along with hate.  It has been my intent to spare you, my readers, by keeping this blog free of these unfolding events by providing you this place where you come for a few moments each day.  Some of these events though do affect me and today I am sharing one in more depth with you that I haven't before.

As I have shared here I do not ever equate what I experience out there to what African Americans have endured, and live with.  Yet I sure can relate in more ways than one.  I have written about my dear friend Nora who became an adoptive mother figure/mentor along with Ella, Jackie, and Joseph when I was young.  Nora and I became in demand as speakers because of the ways we both had risen above severe challenges, and because we had a gift for inspiring people.  Actually I did not realize I had this gift until Nora hit me over the head with it and shoved me behind a podium one day to speak to a group of women inmates, but that story will be for another blog.😂

Nora was African American but I no more saw her colour than she did my shortness.  And she was astounded to meet someone who knew far more about black writers and artists in America than she did.  Langston Hughes, African American writer, became my someone I could identify with concerning the hell I was enduring as a Little Person because I had nowhere else to turn for anyone who had any understanding of the ridicule and rejection I faced each day.  

One thing I haven't touched on here is how dark I am.  I have a very dark complexion and spending so much time outdoors with my horses made me even more dark, besides having very black/brown eyes and hair.  Guess what though?  No one in my immediate family including grandparents had my coloring.  All had VERY fair skin, blond or reddish blond hair, and blue or green eyes.  

Recently I learned if one parent has blue eyes and one green eyes, or both have blue or green eyes, it is supposed to be genetically impossible for them to 

have a child with brown eyes.🤔 

From early childhood I get constantly asked what country I am from because of my dark complexion.  Many have dark complexions too out there, but when one is height challenged the non-humans assume this gives them the right to also rudely question my race.  By the way, it doesn't.

Even though I have become a very sickly pale in recent years I am still questioned where I am from, or worse, even get called not just "midget," but "n***a midget."  It's not just being called that word which upsets me as it is the profound hurt and outrage I feel because of those I love so deeply.  After I became a part of Nora's family and friends whenever they too heard me being called those words, they also felt an intense hurt and outrage because of their deep love for me, and the same sense of helplessness in being able to respond to such ugliness on that level.  The non-humans seem to assume it is their right to be so disrespectful and mean in this way. 

I have been told Felix Mendelssohn is my great, great, great uncle.  His sister, Fanny, married Wilhelm Hensel.  Fanny was a composer in her own right, while Wilhelm was a artist.  Their father, Moses Mendelssohn, was a philosopher, and with whom I share a very uncanny resemblance.  Same shaped dark eyes and facial structure.  He was also very short.  My geneticist, Dr. McKusick who compared my shared facial similarities with Moses, Felix, and Fanny firmly agreed.  They are the only ones on both sides of my family I remotely resemble. 

Anyway, I only have ever had one encounter with police in my life aside from the two who escorted Patches and I during The Ride.  To complete changes needed for a theatre set, my crew assisting me and I worked a little past 2 a.m one morning.  I was exhausted.  As I was driving home I was in the turning lane of a busy intersection.  The light turned green for the cars in the two lanes next to me.  Without thinking I proceeded through my RED light by turning left.

Thankfully no one was coming from the other direction when this happened.  As SOON as I began making the turn I realized my mistake and briefly threw both hands up in the air saying, "Oh shit!"😬 

Immediately after I did that blue lights began blazing on the car behind me.  Now I really said, "OH SHIT!"😱

Once I crossed the lanes of traffic I pulled over.  The officer was apparently calling to check on my license plate to see if I had any warrants or anything else criminal I was up to.  When he came to my window he was LAUGHING because he saw me throw my hands into the air immediately realizing what I had done.  Still he needed to see my license.  When he saw my height of 4'3" and my name he suddenly blurted out, "Why you're the Patches Lady, aren't you?!!"😃  

Though a number of years had passed since Patches and I had done The Ride there still are not many Little Persons around, especially one with a horse.  Then with concern he asked what I was doing out so late at night...was I okay?  I explained how as a Theatre Set Designer with Opening Night two nights later my crew and I had to make late changes to the set the Director requested.

"Wow...do you know what?  My wife and I were able to get tickets for Opening Night!  We're really looking forward to it!  And now I can tell her I met the Patches Lady who designed the set!"😃

With that he sent me on my way.  When he and his wife arrived at the theatre two days later they discovered someone had upgraded their seats from the back to two at front center.🤫

Yet it has never been lost on me through the years though, as nice as this dear officer was to me, had my driver's license shown my race to be African American and a male who happened to do the same exact thing I did by immediately realizing his mistake after innocently proceeding through a red turning lane light, the situation encountered could have been a far different, even sinister one.😪

My deep abiding hope is that change for African Americans and all people of colour in the U.S., is finally at last being embraced.  As well as all faiths, sexual preferences, and disabilities.  Someday, I even hope there will be change for those being targeted with the terrible ugliness and danger just because one is height challenged too.  Including one who still galloped through her life soaring anyway.💫🐎🤩🐎💫