That's funny, you do look....

In response to Yoko's memorial day post, I find it very odd when strangers share their ethnicity guesses with others.

Yeah, I'm black. Duh. And I suppose that for white people, this is enough information. (Except for this one cop in Virginia who, while preparing his report of spring break fender bender that I was involved in asked "Is Ashyknees black?" I was wearing a hat at the time, but still. Duh!) But for other black and brown people, especially in NYC, my background has occasionally proven to be a stumper.

While living in New York, I had to apologize for not speaking French and not speaking Spanish. (I am truly sorry about the former since I studied French in college). I am not from any island, but rather an anti-island. No, I am not from Kentucky. I am not from Canarsie...I've never been to Canarsie...I don't even have a twin who lives in Canarsie.

What is it about me that mislead strangers to believe these things? What would lead someone to look at a picture of my dad and say, "he looks like he's from the islands?" Would someone put a finger on the origins of such hunches?