I wasn’t trying to call you out on anything for bringing it up, though. I really was hoping his being Asian mattered to the story somehow.

I struggle with mentioning race, though, because that means that when I don’t mention it, I’m assuming everyone will know that white is the default. When I read an Asian person’s blog, though, or a black person’s blog, I assume that the default is their race; that doesn’t bother me, so I’m not sure it would bother anyone else that white is my default. I’m interested in your thoughts, though, of course, especially if they involve use of the phrase “white privilege”.

Luckily, even after spending so much time here for nearly three years, there are only about ten people in Kamran’s building who I ever recognize, and I’m not sure I know a single one of their names.

I’m fine with the block-long trek to every foodstuff known to man, but Kamran’s a busy man with patent applications to write and constitutional law reading to finish. And naturally I’m not bringing him his food. Does it horrify you more that we have our meals delivered or that he literally hasn’t cooked anything in his kitchen in more than a year?

And you know I would be rather embarrassed if you called out one my neighbors on their rudeness. Because it would be awful to have to run into them again and be remembered for the incident.

Which is, of course, not exactly true. I can, however, out-burp most of the people I know.

+

“So who’s right here–Kamran or me?”

=

The correct answer to your closing question is “LOL.”

Not everyone knows how to react to “we heard that” in some witty, self-deprecating way. So, I mean, I guess you read that guy wrong is the answer, ’cause he obviously didn’t react the way you expected he would. But in terms of feeling embarrassed, I believe the correct answer is something like “Psshaw.” (Is that how you spell that?)

(I feel bad making other people do all that work to bring food to me when I could just as easily bring me to food, but I suppose this convenience thing is what drives economies & in the end, you’re giving the delivery guy a job by ordering from his place more often, so my “feeling bad” priorities are all misplaced.)

I could see him disagreeing with your decision to call the guy out (but I think it’s almost always fun to call people out. I admonish children I don’t know for running in grocery stores largely because they look so horrified when an adult they don’t know corrects them), but I don’t see why it’s an embarrassment to him that you did it.

Geez Katie… I keep forgetting that you’re not a NY’er! We say excuse me for burping on the Upper West Side (it tends to scare the older than dirt, ultra rich, million dollar apartment with a doorman having people) or in a crowd.

You and Kamram are a group, not a crowd so you were in violation and were indeed embarrassing.
But I have hope for you, eventually I think that you’ll get what Billy Joel calls a NY State of Mind.

You haven’t been making any progress in your NY State of Mind…mostly because you visit Ohio frequently and still talk to friends back home.

To help you out print out the following and place it in your purse before you go out.

Cheat sheet for saying excuse me for bodily functions:

1) Are you in A Crowd?
2) Are there any little old ladies nearby?
3) Are your parents around?
4) Are you not in New York City or surrounding Boroughs?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions then your ass better have an excuse me ready!!