A mother, sullen teen-aged son in tow, were walking up and down the aisles, obviously not finding what they were looking for.
"Can I help you find something?"
"Where's your African-American section?"
"Cultural studies and history are over in non-fiction; fiction is here," I motion around us, "alphabetical by author."
"You don't have and African-American fiction section? You used to." (We never did, but...)
"No, ma'am.  All fiction is here."
"Show me the history section."
(The exchange regarding the placement of Afro-American lit took up a little longer time, with the customer becoming more and more agitated.)

I lead them to the section. By this time, it is clear that they are shopping for the son, not the mother, and he isn't happy about it.  I ask again, "Is there something particular you're looking for, or a particular title?"  The look this provokes is equal parts disdain and something I have not encountered in a long time.  The tone is dismissive, "I don't know what I'm looking for.  I'll ask if I need you."  I look at the son; he is staring at his shoes.  I have effectively been erased from immediate consciousness.

About five minutes later, the son comes to the desk alone and asks for a Walter Dean Myers book.  Mom is standing a few feet away.  I take him to the section (without looking it up; yes, I'm making a point to his mother), hand him the book from the shelf.  He murmurs thanks and walks away.

From teenagers and those a little lower on the socio-economic ladder, the response when offered help finding Afro-American or "urban" authors is usually one of uncertainty, followed by relief when a couple of names are rattled off.  They do not question that I know what is on my shelves.  From this solidly middle-class urban professional, though, my knowledge of my inventory and skill as a bookseller was dismissed without opportunity to prove myself -- I wasn't Afro-American, so how could I know Afro-American authors?

There is a lot about African-American culture and history I don't know.  In any other context, the woman's dismissal would be more than fair. I think that may be why her dismissal here bothered me.  The bookstore is my area of expertise, but the chance to prove it was never given.

File this one under "Awareness."