Sunday, January 29, 2006

Mormon worthy...


Emory sites the arrival of the robin in his area as the harbinger of an early spring. In my neighborhood it’s the arrival of The Mormons. Judging by the number of Mormon flocks that have been spotted in my neighborhood we must be headed for an early spring. Easily identifiable the flocks of Mormons look like poster children for small town USA; mostly blonde, good looking college aged kids sporting “Men In Black” type of suits.

Although their natural habitat is Salt Lake City, they are migrating setting up nests in my city, venturing into my neighborhood. They stand on the corners of our busy streets usually in commercial areas like the local mall, or mass transit hubs with huge Kool - Aid smiles that would put an Osmond to shame. A few days ago I had the chance to watch them in action. They approached the public flashing toothy smiles holding the Mormon book inches away from their faces. I felt bad for them as the people looked down at the book and waved the Mormons away. I think the Mormons failed to research the dynamics of my ‘hood because if they had they would have known that my neighborhood is overwhelmingly Born Again Christians, and Roman Catholics with the occasional sprinkle of Baptists and Muslims.

No one stopped to talk with the Mormons that day, people getting off the train were in a hurry to catch the bus a couple of blocks away. The Mormons walked with them until the end of the block, never giving up until the traffic light changed enabling the pedestrians to make their get away by crossing the street. Usually I feel bad for them well actually for any religion salesperson trying to make converts on the city streets. When approached I will stop and listen to what they have to say simply out of courtesy. It seems wrong somehow to brush off someone who is trying to save your soul. However the Mormons that flock in my area don’t really seem interested in talking to me when I am by myself. They don’t stop me unless I am in the company of my mother or any other person whose skin color is lighter than mine. They seem to have a specific group of people they want to talk to maybe it’s because they feel safer talking to that group.

I watched the flock of Mormons intently because I wanted to see if I was right about my theory about the people they chose to stop. They didn’t stop “ethnic” looking people. They didn’t stop the blacks, or tanned skinned Latinos like me. Instead they went after people like my mother who is so fair in complexion that she never tans; she just turns pink at the slightest indication of a stray sun ray. The Mormons well at least this particular group on this particular day were proving my theory correct. I decided that on this day I would go out of my way to avoid them. I was in a hurry to get home, it was rush hour. I knew that on this day they were going to stop me. I already saw them eyeing me, calculating how much time it would be before I reached them. I knew it wasn’t really me they were interested in talking to. I was going to be stopped by the Mormons because of whom I was with. For I was like a beacon of light on a foggy night guiding ships safely into the harbor; I was in the company of my significant other, my boy friend, a white man. On that day I was Mormon worthy!

Labels: religion

Posted by @ 1:14 AM
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