“I guess I didn’t notice.”

“I guess I didn’t notice.”

Many years ago I leaned a very important life skill from a precious, petite little blonde five year old girl.  I was a guest in the home and I was talking to Julie’s grandmother when the phone rang.  It was Julie calling to ask if she could bring a friend home to play after school.  Grandma said yes, and a few minutes later Julie came walking up the front sidewalk holding hands with a little black girl.

Grandma didn’t gasp at the sight but she did say, “Oh my gosh, it’s a colored child.”  Julie and her friend played for about two hours and Grandma was nice about it, fixing treats and drinks for Julie and her little guest.

It had been arranged that the little black girl’s mother would pick her up at 5 PM.  Julie and her friend held hands and skipped down the front sidewalk to deliver her guest to the waiting mother. 

When Julie came into the kitchen Grandma pulled Julie up on her lap and asked, “Why didn’t you tell Grandma that your little friend was colored?”  Julie looked confused for a second or two and then replied, “I guess I didn’t notice.”

Rev. Samuel Sewell