This morning I dressed up. My new suit felt comfortable as I walked down Massachusetts Avenue toward MIT. A block or two past Central Square I saw a black man followed by a large family. He motioned toward me. I stopped, and was surrounded by him, his wife, and his five children: “You foreign national?” I did not understand him at first, but I recognized a friendly attitude: “Sorry?” He repeated his question and added: “You French?” I smiled: “No, I’m Yugoslav.” We shook hands for some reason. “You look nice—continental!” the black man said seriously and passed his left hand over his face. His gesture indicated smoothness. I spread my arms innocently and started to leave: “Oh, well!” I motioned to the whole family and departed with a big smile on my face. I smiled all the way down to MIT.