This is a sly little look at old-fashioned (and deeply unpleasant) attitudes that could just as easily have been called ‘Last Laugh’. I got the twist although it’s nicely hidden so I hope you all have fun spotting it too. And don’t forget to check out Jay’s books and heaps of other stories at her website for lots more like this. *Tagged for racism but the story makes clear the author doesn’t approve!
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“Did you see them two?”
“What’s the matter? Which two?”
“Him from number forty and his new boyfriend. Dunno what the world’s coming to.”
“But you know he’s gay. You were chatting to him and his other feller at that party.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“The price of this property’s going to go down. That’s how. Mark my words. Someone wants to have words with him, anyroad.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Bold as brass, they were.”
“But he used to walk along holding the other guy’s hand and you said it was sweet.”
“This isn’t.”
“Well, I suppose it isn’t long since they split up, but her at the corner got a divorce and was with a new lad the next week and I saw you smiling at them.”
“Got taste, she has. He’s a nice lad. Knew his grandma.”
“But you don’t know anything about this new bloke. Whatever’s eating you?”
“You haven’t set eyes on him then, or you wouldn’t be asking.”
“Got two heads, has he?”
“No. But I’ll tell you this. His sort aren’t welcome around here. Whatever the so called ‘politically correct’ attitude is.”
“You mean…?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you’re entitled to your opinion but I wouldn’t let anyone hear you. Just saying.”
“I don’t care who hears me. Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile, that’s what I say. So we need to stand firm. Not in our street, that’s what.”
“Then I’d better not ask my boss to dinner.”
“You don’t mean…?”
“Yes. He’s gay, too, but seems that doesn’t worry you.”.
“Look! There they are!”
“Yeah, well, that one’s my boss. And he could buy and sell you, no problem.”
“Like I said. Dunno what the world’s coming to.”
“Coming to the twenty-first century, anyway. Better get used to it!”
RoM/Mantic Reads 
Absolutely love it, Jay! I’m in an interracial relationship myself, happily married, so the story hit home although we haven’t faced any overt discrimination as a couple.
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My own relationship isn’t interracial (though husband is half German and even that can give rise to raised eyebrows) but I have and had a number of really close friends of varying ethnicity and have been very aware of things that are said. Glad you haven’t had to face discrimination.
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Sad that we can totally picture this scene playing out IRL. Good to see the other guy push back on the bigotry. ❤️
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I’ve heard this and comments like it although I think they’re becoming less the norm as various localities become more diverse. Still, there’s a lot of prejudice to counter!
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