The "He Looks Just Like Me" Moments

Today I made the mad dash after work to reach the pediatrician's office to check and see if Daniel had an ear infection. Turns out he doesn't. Huh so much for listening to the babysitter. Since he was fine and the sun had come out after a rainy morning start, I decided we'd spend some time by one of the local playgrounds.

On our way to the playground I notice a fuzzy hair little boy on his bike across the street. He has the look of my son so I look for his mother. Turns out she's one of the seemly many Japanese moms in Harlem with a blasian child.

Since their about to cross over to our side of the street, I wait for them at the corner. I keep running into this mom here and there in the neighborhood. We always promise to get together for a play-date but never seem to. As we chat and try to catch up from the last time we met, her son goes over to my son and starts looking at him.

At this point Daniel is playing a game on my ipod and doesn't notice anything else. But the little boy is walking around Daniel trying to get a better look. Eventually he just pushes my son's head up so he can see his face. As his moms scolds him not to push on my son's head he excitedly says "He looks just like me!"

For a moment I stood their stunned because I got it. I totally got what seeing another little boy who looks like him meant. This little boy found someone to identify with.

What's funny is this was the first time I met the little boy. I usually run into the mom with her teenage daughter. While I'm not sure if this little boy figured out Daniel was also Asian and Black, it was clear he knew Daniel was just like him in some way.

We hung out with this other blasian family for a bit. The kids ate ices, fought over a bike and ran around chasing each other and the other kids in the play ground. As I watched them play I hoped this wouldn't be the last time my son hear someone say those words about him.

Like this article? Subscribe to the RSS feed or for email updates!