Reply #12: I was four or maybe five years old.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

My mother asked my why I didn't want to play with so and so. My reply 'because he's a nigger'. Now before too many of my fellow DU'ers jump my case, let me finish the story :)
I had no idea what I was saying,I doubt I'd ever said it before in my short life.
It took my mother about 3 steps to get from inside the screen door of the house to the front lawn where I was standing, scoop me up and take me to the bathroom where she proceeded to literally, I repeat literally, wash my mouth out with soap. I was told that word was not for me to say. It wasn't our family's word to use.
It took forty years before I could even think of that word without tasting the soap...............