Do They Do Black Hair?

I was reading this blog post here at: http://cjinstructortn.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/how-supercuts-took-a-stand-for-my-daughter/  and the one before it at:
http://cjinstructortn.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/what-fantastic-sams-taught-my-daughter/

and I have determined that I will NEVER EVER give any of my white bisexual bucks to either Super Cuts or Fantastic Sams again.  Period.

When I read those posts by cjinstructortn, I had a memory that I had forgotten.

Many years ago, when I lived in Baton Rouge, I got a little job as a telemarketer.  I forget the company.  We were supposed to call people on a list and talk them into a package deal at one of the local hair salons [I also have forgotten which one] for twenty five dollars.  If the prospect said "yes," a driver would immediately go to their address to pick up the money and give them their package.  I was told very specifically by the white male manager that "If a black person answers, hang up."  This was odd.  But I was young and I thought myself desperate for the money the job would provide to me.  

The arrangement was that any new telemarketer was not put on the payroll until he or she made their first sales agreement.  After that, there was an hourly rate with an add-on bonus for each completed sale.  I had a "yes" on my very first call.

I was given a spot to sit and a telephone and I proceeded to call more people on the list I was given.  I ignored the directions that specified hanging up on black people.  One lady who answered the phone said to me, "Do they do 'black hair?' "  Cautiously I glanced about the room before hurriedly answering yes.  She then agreed to buy the package.

This was in the late seventies.  Here I will add that Baton Rouge was considerably behind the times back then.  Even interracial couples-- common to other areas of the country I had traveled to-- were very uncommon in Baton Rouge back then.

A driver came back spurting to the white male manager.  The manager came over to me and reinforced the directive that I was to hang up if a black person answered the phone.  I wish I could say that I walked out then and there but I really don't recall if I did or not.  At any rate, I did not go back.

sapphoq on life