San Francisco’s Got Your Back

This happened last week. My husband and I were at Safeway raiding the wine and cheese isle for what promised to be a fun weekend ahead of us!

I found myself being railed at by someone who just decided that fine morning that he didn’t like me, my nationality and Mahatma Gandhi. By the time we got to the check-out counter (and I say ‘we’ because this person followed me to make sure I heard him) the cashier and the customers around us stood up for me one hundred percent making it clear that such discrimination was unacceptable. 

This was my first ever such experience in the six years that I have lived in this city. I’m not trying to highlight the ugliness of the incident…but really more the spirit of the city and its people who contribute to a culture that looks beyond someone’s religion, color or bank balance. And as an immigrant – you can take comfort in knowing that this city’s always got your back.

Honestly, after living here for 6 years now, I pick my battles…I’ve realized that sometimes people need to vent and you need to stand on the sidelines with your head down feeling grateful for all the good things in life. But as an international student, an immigrant and a person living in todays times in one of the most liberal cities in the world, I can tell you this much – I don’t for a single moment feel the need to tolerate someone else’s discriminating attitude towards me - be it based on color, money or religion. You'd think that if a Rottweiler, Cat and a Mouse can learn to get along, so can we!

Hope you enjoy San Francisco as much as I do!

Lotika