Winter Boots
Standing in line at the department store, a woman wandered along and stopped behind the man buying boots in front of me.
Me: Excuse me, um, sorry, I'm in line.
Woman: This is my husband.
She jabbed his arm. The woman was black and the man was white. They were my parents' age.
Me: Oh okay never mind.
We looked down at our phones. I looked up.
Me: I have to tell people I'm with my parents all the time.
She looked up and examined my face.
Me: My parents are white, I was adopted.
Woman: Oh, you know, you look a little bit like one of my sons. He's in London right now but--
She tapped her husband.
Woman: Honey doesn't he look like Anthony?
He turned to face us.
Husband: Ah, yeah, little bit.
Their smiles made me smile back. They missed their son on Christmas, it wasn't worth correcting them.
The cashier gave their receipt to them and they looked back at me to say goodbye.
Me: "Happy holidays."