A bad thing - 8/7/11 - approx. 5:00p
occurred as I got off the train from Chicago and arrived in Albuquerque. It threatened to spoil much of my good mood. I had been elated at finally arriving and glowing from bidding my seat companion - a pleasant man who studies in Canada and lives in Mexico. "A Dios," I had said to him and he repeated when I left the seat. I saw the young man who had gotten off my train - in fact, had sat across from me. -- early 20's -- obviously looking Latino. I'd heard him speak Spanish on the train. In the station - not five minutes off the train - a policeman asked for his identification and questioned his purpose in coming to Albuquerque and, though he was polite in that nasty polite way of a cop exerting his authority, I was reminded that many people are hostile to people they believe are not in the U. S. legally. He had to show I.D and answer questions. It put an ugly taste in my mouth. I almost changed my mind about NM.
I continue to think about the incident. I heard the cop's voice -- questioning the young man who remained soft-spoken and forthcoming though he hadn't been talking on the train. I had thought of him as just another slouchy, unsmiling young boy whose pants were garish and low slung. I got swept with the feeling of maternal concern. I wanted to do something to the smug cop. Really. I got very angry. But I kept to my own business. The woman at the Amtrak information and ticket window was not courteous at first and I gave her a look that I would not have ordinarily used. And she got nicer and called a cab for me.
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