Rum Punched the Dragon Queen

I only drink rum when I am somewhere tropical, specifically the Abaco Islands. It must be the air, because I cannot drink rum when I am back home in New York, not unless I want to wake up with my head pounding. Yup, it’s gotta be the ocean air. My daughter had her little Spring Break recently and took the opportunity to take a little trip with my Mom “Gaga” and my Stepdad “Grandpa”. We have been coming to the Abacos since I was just 3 years old, so I know it well and make it a point to go once a year. The trip was amazing. Good food, good drinks, rented a house right on the beach, right in the center of town, golf cart rides to the other end of the island, good music, boat ride to see the swimming pigs, the list of goodness goes on, BUT… You knew there was going to be a BUT didn’t you? You could just feel it! Everything was amazing until the last night…

The last night we were there, we went to one of the resorts on the island for dinner. It’s called a resort, but there really are no resorts like the ones you are probably thinking of on this island. It’s very chill and consists of villas and homes like you would rent, that take up most of the island. It is called the Firefly Resort. Beautifully situated right on the water with a little dock leading out towards the sunset (or sunrise). The restaurant has a beautiful view and some of the best food on the island. So of course as we started out our trip dining at the Firefly, we ended it there. The night was great, my daughter was having a great time, everyone was feeling good until my daughter decided she wanted to go watch the sunset, which was gorgeous. We walk to the tip of the restaurant which was all situated on a big deck, tables strewn all over the place and a big bar to the side. As we are standing looking out onto the water I hear an obnoxious, drunk Southern accent say “You need to move, you are blocking our view!” (No I have nothing against southern people, I am literally describing the person so you can get a picture in your head, calm down!) I was stunned as there was so much room to see the view. I turn around as they are obnoxiously asking me (I am not a tall person) and my daughter (a quarter of my height), to move. I reply, “Is that how you ask someone to move?” And I turned right back around and ignored them. The Women, a very southern white blonde, wearing a huge silver cross on her neck and a little black dress walks aggressively right up to me so she is literally pushing on my arm and shoulder with hers, looks at my necklace, a tiny Star of David. I want to note, my daughter is still next to me holding onto my leg, trying to enjoy the sunset. This Women starts on a tirade, saying nasty antisemtic things to me, racist things about my daughter who is mixed race and telling me I am a shitty Mother (just because I wouldn’t move out of the way) and my daughter is going to grow up to be a shitty person. I tell her to sit back down. She gets in the last word, something nasty, at this point my blood is boiling. I mean seriously, this shit really fucking happens, I couldn’t believe it! I get my phone out and start recording this couple still ranting and raving at me, the man about 3 times my size, white as well with a huge bald head and light blue shirt. The way these people were acting, the things they were saying I am sure about a couple of things. One they are probably huge Trump supporters, two they are racist/antisemetic bigots, and three they probably met at a KKK meeting in Kentucky or some extremely right winged southern state. The women starts going on about how I can’t tape them, this whole portion of what I filmed goes on for 22 seconds, yes that’s right, I have the footage! The man gets up, stalks towards me, points at my daughter and says “Pig (to me) is that your daughter?” Grabs my hand and proceeds to crush it and bend it backwards almost breaking it and then grows me down on the ground into my daughter. Busted my knee, my daughter shocked, I mean this was something out of a fucking movie. My Mom sees and rushes over to grab my daughter. You are probably wondering where they were when all of this was going on. They were right there a few tables back, but couldn’t hear what was going on, could only see.

The really fucked up thing to me was that no one that was there, and there were a lot of people there, did anything except stand in amazement. If we had been in the States I guarantee you 10 people would have jumped up and beaten this guys ass. I know the worst part to most would be the hate crime and physical assault by a people that I didn’t even know, the women pushing and taunting me while watching a sunset right in front of my young child, a huge man violently grabbing me and throwing me to the ground. Yes, that was all really really bad, but the worst part to me, the part that I hate more than anything, is that it all happened in front of my daughter. The fact that she had to hear those people with such hate say the things that they said to her Mommy. My poor baby. She is fine now, I know she is, I think she saw how tough her Mommy is and I know that is something that gives her strength, she will be a warrior like me when she grows up. I am like one of the badass women out of Game of Thrones. I am the Queen of Dragons. She was raped, beaten, hurt so many times and look at her now in Season 8! Clearly I am a GOT fan, but seriously don’t mess with the dragon lady, the mama bears of this world.

What a story right? Except it’s not made up, I wish it was, but it’s just something that shows us that this world is still filled with a lot of hate and a lot of crazy people who feel that they can do whatever they want. That is the world we are living in right now. It’s scary and it’s sad, but I am always looking at these situations and trying to figure out how to change the world we are living in. I think it takes strength, speaking up and taking action on the change that we want. Easier said than done, you would think we have come farther than what I experienced on the tiny little island I adored. My heart is a little crushed right now about it, but I always bring myself back up. Sorry, no sunset picture to show you all the beauty in that evening before Hitler and his Girlfriend tried to metaphorically throw my daughter and I into the furnace.

Thank you for reading about this experience and I hope you do not feel sorry for me. Instead don’t be that person that stands in awe while someone is being pushed around, be that person who sticks up for what is right and make a difference.

MollieAF