We Hope None Of That Guy’s Dreams Ever Come True

My family is from Canada, and we’re on vacation at a magical place where all your dreams come true. My fiancée and two of her brothers — ages seven and ten — were invited to come with, so they agreed and flew down with us. Her youngest brother is deaf and primarily speaks using ASL (American Sign Language). He likes to hang around with me but looks nothing like me. I am Native American, while my fiancée and her brothers are Metis. It should also be known that I have my trained PTSD service dog in full vest with me.

I have just returned from getting myself something to eat and have sat down on a bench with the seven-year-old. He starts signing to me excitedly that he has just met one of his favourite characters while I was getting food, but he stops as he sees a little girl, around three, come close and pet my dog. He starts pointing to get my attention and I turn to look at the younger girl.

Me: “Oh, no, no, sweetie. We don’t touch this dog; she’s a working dog.”

Girl: “But I wanna!”

She goes to pet my dog with determination in her eyes like I have never seen before.

Me: “I know you do, but do you see the clothes she’s wearing? When you see this patch on a doggie—”

I point to the large patch on the side of the vest: a red hand with “STOP! DO NOT TOUCH: SERVICE DOG” on it.

Me: “—it means we don’t touch, because that dog is working.”

Girl: *Dejectedly* “Oh…”

She runs off to find her parents. I think this is the end of it, and I go back to signing with [Seven-Year-Old]. A few minutes later, however, I hear crying, and I look up to see a swearing man stomping up to me.

Man: “Who the f*** do you think you are, you [Latino slur]?! How dare you tell my daughter what she can and cannot do?!”

Me: “Your daughter was distracting my dog from doing her job, which puts my safety at risk.”

Man: “I don’t give a f***! All you [slur]s are the same, thinking they can do whatever they want! Why don’t you go back to Mexico where you belong?!”

Me: “First, I’m Native American, not Latino. I don’t even remotely look like I’m Latino in any way, shape, or form. Secondly, I’m from Canada, and I do expect to return in two weeks when my vacation is over. Third, there are children around you and you’re throwing a temper tantrum because I wouldn’t let your daughter touch my working service dog. What a great father you are, showing her that if you get loud and throw a tantrum, you can be a racist s***bag!”

By now, I can feel my dog nudging me to tell me that I am in a situation that I should leave or I risk having a meltdown of my own. I go to stand, but the man looks at [Seven-Year-Old], who has been playing with the light-up ears I bought him.

Man: “You and your [very racist slur for Native Americans] dad should go back to your reserve; you don’t belong in the white world.”

I lose it. I stand to my full 6’4” height, towering over the man before I lean over to look him square in the eye. By now, we’ve drawn a slight crowd.

Me: “Say that again, but to my face this time.”

The man began to stammer before a cast member arrived with security.

In the end, they took statements from everyone and kicked the man and his family out of the park.