Pizza Pizzazz!

Last Saturday,I went to pick up a pizza at Papa Murphy's.We hit the end of the counter and the girl goes,"Do you know how this is done?"-excuse me?I did a double take-moi?Moi,who makes pizza dough and pizza sauce at home,by hand?No,no,not the cheese-haven't tried that one yet!!
Why was I chosen to be asked that question?Was it because my son and I tracked the various stages of pizza making by walking along as they piled on the cheese and sauce and pepperoni?Or did we look a little too enthusiastic while we walked along?Was it my moment's hesitation while ordering going,"half and half or not?"Or was it the bindi I had on my forehead?
I had this spurt of righteous indignation.I was about to ask her what she meant.Did I look "fresh off the boat"?Or like someone who seemed incapable of following simple instructions printed on the paper stuck on top of the pizza box?Ah!The instructions-don't get me started on that!!Or did it look like I did not have an oven?Or did not know how to use one?
I took it as a personal affront-to ask me,the one who has mastered Jacques Pepin's Chicken Ballantine(I WILL upload the picture SOON!!),if I could bake a pizza, took some gumption indeed.I'll show her!!
I was working myself up into a fine lather,but it all came to an abrupt screeching halt when it struck me that she was probably being helpful.It was as simple as that-she was being nice!!She probably thought I might not know how to bake a pizza and thought to help me.Or it probably was company policy to ask every customer if they needed instructions-pretty simple,pretty clear.But,in those few seconds,I was itching to respond suitably to that perceived slight.
That got me thinking-how our perception of what goes on around us depends on ourselves.No two people look at things alike do they?
In my case funnily, I think it is years of being mistaken to be Latina that did it!!Seriously-I am short,stubby,dark skinned-voila!
I have had people come up to me and speak in Spanish-I usually apologize and let them know that I am from India and don't speak Spanish.
On the other hand,if I wear traditional Indian clothes,it is almost like my English speaking skills go down a notch-there is a subtle slowing down when I am being spoken to-so I have it bad either way!
That, I think,has put me on the defensive-I am wary wherever I walk in-most places are fine,but I think my psyche is twisted enough that I am looking for subtle signs to reconfirm my perception to me.It is like I am itching for a chance to set the record straight.But I am not as confrontational as I make myself out to be-so I generally fume and do nothing about it.Or you could say,blog about it?!