This is updated post. Please excuse the offensive word used in context in this story.
Rosie was beautiful, the first black woman I ever knew. She tolerated my stroking her creamy, caramel-colored legs as she washed dishes or ironed. Her crisply starched cotton housedresses smelled just like sunshine. Normally, I trailed my mother, but on the days Rosie was there, she couldn’t stop suddenly without my bumping her. Rosie ate standing up at the kitchen counter with her own special dishes while I ate at the kitchen table. I wanted to eat standing at the counter with her but wasn’t tall enough. One day as we ate, she told me she had a little girl. Pearl was three years old, just my age, Three years old. I was enchanted. “Is she a nigger girl?” Rosie’s face fell.
“Don’t say ‘nigger.’ That’s a mean word. Say ‘colored’.” I was surprised Rosie corrected me, not knowing I’d done anything wrong. I was also surprised to hear “nigger” was a mean word. I’d heard it many times.
Rosie said no more. I was relieved when she seemed to have forgiven me, soon allowing me to hug her and stroke her beautiful, smooth legs as she worked along.
It was years before I realized how deeply I’d hurt her. I am so, so sorry Rosie. I wish I could unsay that awful thing.
Addendum; I was raised in the deep South, before the Civil Rights Struggle began. My home was as prejudiced as any. I went to a segregated school and knew a black child. Should we meet on the street on the street, we just stared open-mouthed at each other. I believed the lie until I went to college and made black friends. My eyes were opened! Why is is so hard to learn that people are just people?
Nutsrok 
At least you learned and saw for yourself that only difference is the colour of our skin but other than that we are all people really…please be kind to yourself you were only a child.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i agree, that was cruel and unnecessary. Hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
You were just a little girl. She taught you a valuable lesson. I’m sure she wasn’t upset with you personally. I grew up around someone who said that word a lot. My grandmother taught me never to repeat it.
LikeLike
You were blessed in your grandmother. Her lesson will go on for generations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least you learned.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did. Loving Rosie was the basis of that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s amazing how knowing one person can change your mind about things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It did for me. In my child’s heart, I recognized Rosie’s goodness. She was wise enough to correct me and kind enough to continue to love me. I am 73 and have thought of her lesson thousands of times.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You were too young to understand what you said was hurtful, thankfully you grew and learnt the colour of someone’s skin doesn’t matter, what matter what type of person someone is
LikeLike
You are right. I saw immediately I’d hurt Rosie. I never forgot. All I had to do was make black friends to see we were all the same.
LikeLike
I feel what you felt。
LikeLike
Thanks for telling me. I hope others will feel it too.
LikeLike
I can’t answer your question Linda.My daughter is married to a British born black man and I have beautiful coffee coloured grandchildren. They are beautiful, and kind kids, never mean and I get very upset by racist remarks. But, racism is a two way street with my son in law’s mother not approving his choice of marrying a white girl and being mean to her throughout their so far twelve years of marriage. She’s areligious nut and I have nothing to do with her since she prayed over me, not caring whrther it wouold offend me or not. (it did). Hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a conundrum! I hope she doesn’t talk racism in front of those sweet children. I have met many mean Christians and mean people of other faiths. They forget the injunction “Judge not lest you be judged. When my father was dying, a man came in and prayed that Daddy could be forgiven of his sins so he could be healed. The last thing Daddy needed was to be judged as he lay dying. I threw the man out. That was so cruel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some prayers seem judgmental.
LikeLiked by 1 person