And how many baths?

A woman called my office where I work part-time as a Realtor. Since I was on floor duty, I had the pleasure of taking her call. Her request: a 3-bedroom house, with a garden, hardwood floors, up to $250,000, needing some cosmetic updates okay, near a library, 2-car garage, up to a 40-minute driving commute to work, and no Mexicans.

She really and truly said that she was looking for a house in a White area, with no Mexicans. She didn't just think it or hint at it. She said it. Out loud. And I believe she meant it.

I didn't know that there were people bold/careless/stupid enough to say something like that. Unless it's a test. It could have been someone from the Equal Housing department trying to get me to slip up. I didn't, of course. I remembered my discriminatory practices training, and I did my duty as a responsible and ethical Real Estate professional. I was the "source for the source," referring her to the U.S. Census Bureau's website so she could do her own research. I informed her that I could help her once she could provide a specific town or street name in which she'd like to begin her home search. But that call could have just as easily been real. And this woman might really be looking for such a home in such an area.

I am amazed and saddened and yet strangely humored by this incident. I hope she finds what she's looking for. I hope I can somehow help her... in several senses of the word "help." I hope to see my friend again some day. Sorry, wrong story. And that caller probably wouldn't even like Zihuatanejo.

- Inda Craig-Galván (That's Mexican, by the way.)