A long time fan of my You Tube channel wrote me this yesterday:

Hello,

I love your videos and watch almost every one.  We live in a very white state.  3.5% of our population is African American.  Luckily as an IR couple we have had very few issues except my family.   After 7 years together I don’t even notice the looks anymore.  Two weeks ago I had a sobering experience, or at least my wife did.  I was being escorted by wife to get an outpatient surgery.  The nurse told my wife to wait in the waiting area until I was done and they would come and get her when I was waking up.  As I was waking up the nurse asked me if I was ready for my wife to come and sit by me, yes I was ready.   After some time she arrived, but she was upset.  After some time se told me what happened.  When the attendant went out to page my wife, calling for the wife of James, my wife stood up next to her ready to follow her.  The Staff member put her hand gently on my wife’s shoulder and said “Oh no, not you honey”.  My wife had to insist that she be escorted to me.  The nurse again called for the escort person to James.  When no one else stepped up she brought my wife to me.  I am sure the employee felt some shame in her mistake, for the offence was clear.

I complained to the office manager and she assured me there would be additional training to staff.  I don’t know if this is a case of racism of just an issue of ignorance.

I can imagine there are couple out there that have had much worse experiences that we just had.  I would like to hear your advise to us mixed couples on dealing with public perceptions.  How to prepare for them and how to avoid them.

Thanks “J”