I'm always fascinated by these parents who could shut their kids down by saying "Don't say that." I was such a question box that my parents knew there was no way on Earth I was going to let "Don't say that" slide without 10 more follow-up questions. Inappropriate or not, I needed to know why. It's why a man in college called me "Why?" instead of my real name throughout undergrad. He'd never met anyone who asked so many questions. And if he got that impression by college, you can only imagine what I was like as a child.

As far as the kid, that's why I didn't take it personal. She clearly meant no harm. She was just asking a question for her. What's interesting to me is if I really do burn myself, my skin turns a couple shades darker. But white people get a sorta reddish mark.