Playing the Race Card

A couple of weekends ago, I went to a wine tasting event with Alice, Michael Michael, and Shea. While I waited to be served, my attention drifted to the non-alcoholic merchandise available at the liquor store. There were a lot of kitschy kitchen supplies and wine paraphernalia, but my eye was drawn to one product in particular: Race Cards. "Race Cards?" I stopped to ponder. Was this a gimmicky, tangible item to pull out when someone asserted eir race or in essence "played the race card"? Why would a gag gift be snuggled amidst a display of corkscrews and coasters?

Taking a few more steps forward, I realized my mistake. It didn't say "Race Cards," it said "Place Cards." Having no shame, I confessed my misunderstanding to my friends, who laughed at my absurd explanation for why such a thing as "Race Cards" would be for sale. Everyone was quick to blame it on my poor eyesight, but I offer up photographic evidence that the "fancy" lettering definitely sets itself up for misinterpretation.


Genius strikes in odd ways. I feel this blunder is serendipitous: I suspect there'd be a niche market for my accidental product. Before you get any funny ideas, I assure you that I'm already in the process of patenting it. I'm going to be a hundredaire -- a hundredaire, I tell you!