Innocence first encounter with reality

Innocence first encounter with reality
Growing up racism was something you heard about not something that you really saw. Personally being young it is not so much that you are ignorant and choose not to believe that racism occurs, it is just that simply because of your innocence you tend to see things from one perspective.
I can recall a personal experience where racism was so clear and apparent that it could not be missed, because at that moment it was suffocating to the point where you had to realize its presence. My friends and I were in the mall, going to see a movie, and I was filled with so much joy because my mom was the type of parent who was not inclined to allow me to go places without her or my father. Yet she allowed, for this social event to occur. Before the movie began, my friends and I went to CVS in order to pick up some snacks, as well as sodas, in that the prices for refreshments in the theatre were so outrageous. As soon as we entered the store it seemed as though eyes were following us. At first I did not think much of it, so we split up and worked our way around. However, it felt weird and kind of eerie, but I could not figure out the problem until my friend came up to me and informed me that we were being followed around the store, by two men. At first I did not believe her I thought it simply coincidental and picked up my soda and gummy worms. However, as I proceeded to the cash register, I realized that I could not afford both so only took the soda. When I reached the cashier, which was also one of the men said to be following us, he asked me very harshly where the gummy worms were, implying that I had taken them and stashed them without his knowledge. I told him that I had placed them back, but he did not believe me.I became so hot and filled with anger that I felt that this situation deemed necessary for me to get extremely angry and voice my opinions. I expressed myself the best way I knew how, because I knew that he was being racist simply because there were three black people who entered the store. I never thought that people would actually characterize me and more importantly believe the stereotypes pertaining to black people; That we all lie cheat and steal, which is not the case. This man was obviously too young to know better, however too old to change his views allowed me to see the world for what it truly was. That there are people who are unyielding to change and prefer to sustain one common mindset, simply because they are afraid to change. This situation enlightened me greatly and allowed me to treat situations differently. It was not so much that I forgave the men, and people like them for their actions, I had reached an understanding where I now knew better and could better handle situations of that intensity, using less violence because of my new found knowledge.