The personal side

I remember being a sophomore in college and I decided to get a part time job at the local grocery store.  My college was in a country town where the only black people there were those attending the university.  I was a cashier and one day this white woman came through my line with a fur hat.  She was a much older lady and by her demeanor towards me, she was not happy that she had to go through the line with a black cashier (there were only two open at the time).  To pay for her items she wrote a check.  I put the check through and it was declined.  I ran it again and it was not accepted.  I leaned in quietly and said "ma'am your check is not being accepted do you have another way to pay for your items".  Well she instantly became LOUD and angry saying "clearly you don't know what your doing", "you people cant even work a machine", "this is why only certain people should be allowed to handle peoples money".  Well I stayed calm on the outside but on the inside I had one too may "you people" for my liking.  I was angry that she stereotyped me.  I was angry she called me uneducated all because I was black. The floor manager came over and tried to run her check with me there and it was also declined.  The store manager said the same thing to her I said and she went into her pocket and pulled out cash, threw it at me and walked out.  No one said anything to me, not another employee, manager, nothing.  That was my last day working at that store.  I was hurt that someone accused me of not being able to do my job because I was black.  She accused me of purposely trying to embarrass her because I was black. The sad part is that in those parts, the only black people many people see is what is on TV and that's what they base their assumptions and thoughts off.  It would have to be a personal investment of those living in limited diverse areas to learn and want to learn about other culture, otherwise the same assumptions will continue to happen.