Racial onversations Between a Yankee-Latina & a White Southern Man

Racial Conversations between a Yankee-Latina and an honest Southern Cracker (his choice of words.) Sept. 30, 2009

"Mr. Tim" comes to my house every few months to fix my sink disposal. He is a large Southern white man with a gentle face and kind manners. "Mo'nin' ma'am! How the young ones doin'? They shua gettn' big those two." His smile and his belly remind me of Christmas in March, April or July. "Why does he carry a tool box instead of a bulky sack of toys?" Okay, okay, back to my sink disposal and racial issues story in the South.

Mr. Tim grew up in the sticks of south Geo'gia. The thick folds of skin in his face speak of a long and tiring life. "Maybe he's a vet? Even a World War II vet?" He limps and he huffs as he struggles up the long and winding Victorian steps. "Will he still be alive?" I wonder in sadness "the next time my smelly disposal stops working?" I like him and worry about him. Why does he keep working his a-- off? Things must be tough.

"Weah ya' from again?" (Down here in the South they always ask people like me where we are from.) "You a Mexican?!" "No, sir," I say, "I am from New Joisey & New York but, born in Chile. You can say I'm Yankee-Latina." "Never heard of one of those." he says, I'm a cracker." "A what?" I ask, "I always thought crackers were salty things you eat with soup." "I know Chili," he adds. "Is it chilli in Chili?" "Don't know." says the Yankee-Latina, "Can't afford to go. But crackers go real good with Chili, I hear!" And he smiled that smile. It's November 2008. I've been recruited by the Georgia Latinos for Obama to find Latino voters in the Savannah area. Not an easy task. Most are Mexican and undocumented. The rest are here on professional work visas & frustrated that they can't vote in American elections. But I work tirelessly and hang a 12 foot Obama sign in the middle of Savannah's historic district. "We live inside a Gone With the Wind postcard, I tell my kids. Try to appreciate it, okay? And so what if they think I'm the maid. At least they won't bother me for directions. "No speak English, sennora. Sory."

--- Hundreds of tourists walk by or sip wine in horse-drawn carriages taking photos of our city's stunning 18th & 19th century architecture. The parade never ends. I still wonder what they thought when they saw my oversized red, white & blue banner with the word: "LatinoObamaManiacs" peeking out of a 400 year old oak tree in the South? "Darling, is this part of our tour?"

• Locals, though, either honked in support or gave it the finger.
• My neighbors didn't say a word. They like my husband, a sweet gringo from Minnesota, and wonder how I ever "hooked" him.
• Eventually, other neighbors began to put up signs. "Palin-McCain."
  
• So I put up, "Palin-McCain More of the Same."
• Our downtown intersection became a big deal.
• The media came to take photos.
• Little girls carrying signs, "No More Stinky Boys in the White House! Hillary! Hillary!"
  
• Michigan Congressman John Conyers also came to Savannah & we struck a pose in front of the famous banner. Conyers wore a "Hispanic Unity w/ USA" t-shirt. We looked so cute together. Our smiles as big as the poster. We were so excited about the 2008 election. But not Mr. Tim. He seemed sad. He shook his head, looked at my kitchen floor and still with that gentle smile said, "you know, ma'am, an old cracker like me ain't eva' gonna vote for a black man. I can't. I just can't."