I’m Not Bob Marley!

I can’t go more than two weeks without having some random stranger on the street singing a line from a Bob Marley song to me. Sometimes I’ll just get a, “Hey, Bob!”

I love Marley! I enjoy listening to his music and he’s greatly influenced me, but I’ve gotten tired of all the look-a-like comments from fools on the street.

Seriously, why are people compelled to do this?

Yes, I have dreadlocks and some defined facial features, but we do not look the same.

I’ve had my locks for almost eight years now and for most of that time I lived in Washington, DC. Over there, many men and women from various walks of life have dreads. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. You can’t go a day in the District of Columbia without seeing at least a dozen people with locks and I’ve never had anyone call me Bob in DC. Thank goodness!

About a year and a half ago I moved to Orange County, California.

Yes, the OC.  Some say I live behind the Orange Curtain. Anyway, it’s a fairly homogeneous place that’s mostly White, about a third Hispanic with half as many Asians and a less than two percent of the population is African American. I guess people aren’t exposed to many Black folks around here, let alone someone with dreadlocks almost all the way down his back; yet, that doesn’t help me understand the need to comment on my ‘apparent’ likeness to Bob Marley.

I grew up in Minnesota and travel back there at least once a year to visit my family and friends. When I’m there I don’t get called Bob or have people singing, “Get up! Stand Up!” or “Buffalo Soldier,” as I walk by them. I think it’s just that Minnesotans are much more reserved and polite than people here in the OC. Maybe they’re thinking, “Damn! There goes Bob Marley,” but keep it to themselves to avoid being rude. Since I’ve been away from Minnesota, I have a better appreciation for the notion of Minnesota nice (although it has it’s detriments).

Maybe people here in the OC think they’re being complimentary, but I think it’s just plain stupid and ignorant. Enough already, just stop the stupid nonsense.