The strangest interaction I’ve ever had at Cal Anderson

Yesterday, a friend and I were doing a free cold-weather clothing exchange at Cal Anderson with her kid. We later realized there was also a mutual-aid event happening on the other side of the park, which we hadn’t known about.

I took him toward the playground and passed two women arguing. One woman was using a rollator and was saying something about Black women and Jehovah’s Witnesses “letting people die.” I couldn’t hear every word, but it immediately felt strange because I’m Black and was raised Jehovah’s Witness. (I’m not a minister anymore I was forced to, to be able to live with my aunt who also blocked me from getting a job or escaping a long time.)

The other woman had colorful hair and hipster-style glasses and was telling her to leave Black people alone. She said the woman with the rollator had already approached multiple Black people around the park.

As soon as I realized what was happening, I quietly tried to detour with the kid: But the woman with the rollator started yelling at me, and the other woman began yelling back at her. The woman with the rollator looked like she might follow us, so I hurried up the stairs (as fast as I can with a cane, at least) toward the playground. She stayed behind, continuing to yell.

It was incredibly jarring. I’ve never had a stranger suddenly direct that kind of hostility toward me in public before.

Later, while I was telling my friend what happened, a woman who had apparently overheard me came over and apologized. She was unhoused and had two kids with her. I told her it was okay and offered her some of the clean, new-with-tags clothing my friend and I were giving away.

I’m still trying to process the whole thing. Has anyone else encountered this woman around Cal Anderson recently, or witnessed what happened?

I got to see some ducks tho. It made my brain happy and sparkle. The sun was really nice that day.

I’m just grateful she wasn’t more mobile than my own crippled ass, and that she didn’t seem physically violent. Just loud and a little weird.