Beyond realitys veil

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A/N This essay handles the sensitive subject of racism. If you are going to start a fight about this please don't read. These things actually happened to me and I feel like its a good idea to tell my story.

Before we start there are a few things that I would like to say. First.. Yes I am half hispanic and half white. second. If you don't agree with interracial marriages then please don't read this.

thank you as always.Hannah

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Here in the east side of El Paso Texas we are a melting pot. Germanic Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans and virtually everything in between. As the child of of an interracial marriage I felt at home among my fellow peers.

Ages one to eight I went to public school . Then my father got a raise at work. Suddenly my middle class family that barely got by sometimes had more money than we knew what to do with .

I guess my dad (having left my mom several times only to get back with her) felt obligated to move to a nicer area on the west side.

After tearful goodbyes to my best east side friends ( including the wonderful Laura Susanna) I moved to the new house.

I've always been a shy mousy thing. I wore glasses that sat askew on my nose and my clothes were plain. But Id always tried to be friendly and kind and with those qualities I won many friends .

But all that changed in the weird world of private school. Suddenly, my attributes were my worst features. I had heard the upper level students cuss at public school but this Private school seemed to feature primarily students who smoked foul smelling things in the bathroom and cussed like sailors.

I remember trying to introduce myself on the first day of school but people kept looking at me like I was a frog to be dissected. I assume its because of my last name compared to my skin color.( Cobb to light brown) but I really didn't ask.

Over the next few months I gained a few friends. None that could compare to my east side friends as they all the west siders wanted to just copy my homework, but I was OK. I went to a couple sleepovers ,played video games with some after school occasionally. Normal nine year old stuff.

Then came parent teacher night and everybody knew why my last name was"Cobb".

My mom walked in with me. I've always looked up to my mother. Always called the prettiest woman ever. She was light skinned and light freckles dotted her nose like stars. Her caramel hair was swooped up in a bun and her clear grey eyes could cut through glass.

As we walked into the classroom the adults- yes the responsible adults - took one look at me and my mom and tossed their noses in the air with disdain.

I sank into my chair ,face hot with embarrassment. I didn't understand why people were looking at us like that and i felt like I had done something wrong.

The next day none of my so called friends talked to me. In fact it wasn't until a few days later that someone told me what was going on.

My friend( who shall remain unnamed for privacy purposes) was handing out sleepover invitations. I excitedly waited for my turn. She gave one to table one table two table three.... and skipped me at table four.

I remember so vividly the emotions that whirled through me as she gave every other girl an invite except me. Blinking back tears I asked her why. Her answer confused me." My mom says your family is not allowed over because of your bad influence. She said I'm not supposed to talk to you." And with that she flounced away.