So my mom comes over the other day and she starts to tell me about having lunch with a mutual friend.
"I told her about your book, about how you have been doing all this research."
"Did she say anything?"
"Yeah. When I said it was about Gypsies, you know, Roma, she said that you had to be wrong."
"What do you mean, 'wrong'?"
"She crossed her arms and said, "oh there are no Gypsies in Iowa. There aren't even any in the United States. They aren't a real race," is what she said."
"WHAT?"
"That's right," mom said, smiling. "She said that it is a word people use to describe people who like to travel around. It isn't a race or anything."
My mouth dropped open. "Are you sure she said that? Are you sure she wasn't just pulling your leg?"
"No,"mom said, smiling. "She was serious."
When I think about the conversation, all I can do is sigh. This woman is a teacher.
