How I Turned the Tables on a Racist German Girl

What goes around comes all the way back around

In 2018, I went to Budapest with fellow students in my master’s program who were relatively new to me. It was a holiday trip and naturally, we took a lot of group pictures. One morning, a few of us went horse riding. It was the first horse riding in my life.

I’m sure the horse did not think it was my first time. My horse would’ve thought, “This guy knows exactly what he’s doing. I wish he would ride me every day. I wish he would play polo sitting on me. Polo is called The Gentleman’s Sport and he does look like a gentleman.”

I was prettay prettay good. I requested a 6-year-old cute girl standing in front of me to take a picture of me riding the horse. She took a picture better than I ever could. Unfortunately, I was not alone in the picture.

My German classmate Olivia was also riding her horse behind me. She looked like she did not want to be in the picture and/or in the picture with me. But her horse? She was more excited to be in the picture than I was.

After my Budapest trip, I went home — Norway. I was so excited to post that picture on social media — like any attention whore would be. I had to ask Olivia’s permission before posting it. Because I’m a gentleman.

I texted her. “Hiya, Olivia! Remember the horse-riding picture of me? Unfortunately, you’re also in the picture. I wish you weren’t haha. I just want to make sure you have absolutely no problem with me posting my picture on social media. I really love this picture.”

Olivia replied — after two days. “Hi, Srini! Sure, you can post that picture. Please don’t tag me!”

I wasn’t going to tag her. How cheap did she think I was? It was never about her. It was about me. It was my only picture of horse riding. It was my only proof I could ride a horse.

I didn’t ask her to be in my picture. Her horse was a bigger attention whore than me. Not my problem. She should’ve taken a humble horse that day. She should’ve ridden a horse that runs like — a horse when a little girl shows the camera at them. Not the one who poses better than I ever could.

I posted my picture on Instagram. Maybe Olivia didn’t like me. Maybe she didn’t want to be seen with me by the world— even accidentally. Maybe it was her insecurity. Maybe she was too humble to be in a picture.

Olivia was a beautiful girl. More beautiful than I ever could be. So I concluded the case with my insecurity — she does not want to be seen with me in the picture. FINE BY ME!

My life philosophy is — Don’t try to explain to people who you are and what you can do. Let them find out!

My friend Jonas commented on my Instagram picture. “How did you find a German girl in Budapest to ride a horse with you? She looks like a professional polo player. ”

How did he know she was German? I did what any gentleman would’ve done. I deleted his comment. He could’ve said literally anything inappropriate or insulting about me. Not only I wouldn’t have deleted it but also pinned his comment at the top of my post. Jonas had to comment about her.

Ever since I came back from the trip, some of my friends told me Olivia was a racist in random conversations, according to their experience. Yet, I always gave Olivia the benefit of the doubt. That’s just me.

Call me naive but giving complete strangers the benefit of the doubt is what I do for a living. My other life philosophy is — We have to give people the benefit of the doubt for humanity’s sake — at least once.

After a few weeks, I came late to my environmental sustainability class at my Norwegian University. I know what are all the environmental sustainability problems we have and will have in the next 189 years. I didn’t have to come to the class. They’re lucky I decided to come to the class. They should've been thanking me.

Because I came late, I had to sit in the one empty spot, which was coincidentally next to Olivia. I said to myself as I sat with her, “This is what you get when you come late to class. So much for being an expert in environmental sustainability.”

Olivia oddly looked excited as she saw me sitting next to her. I was minding my business. I didn’t make a conversation. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a master in small talk. But I’d remembered my insecurity. The good old friend! She didn’t want to be seen in the picture with me. Now I was sitting right next to her, publicly. Imagine how she’d felt. So much for being a master in small talk.

I had to listen to the environmental sustainability class — more than I ever would. They didn’t teach me anything new. After twenty-five minutes, Olivia whispered to me, “I hate to sit with guys who aren’t white. Don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with women even if they aren’t white. I just don’t trust the guys. I mean, can you blame me?”

I was shocked to hear that. I didn’t know how to react. It was out of nowhere. How do you respond to that? Or even react to that? After she looked at my stillness, she said a bit loudly, “Oh, wait. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean you. I like you, Srini. I’ve noticed you. You’re a gentleman. You can always sit with me.” She whispered again, “Just not any other guys who aren’t white.” She winked.

I’m not even kidding. Those were her exact words.

Although it was oddly comforting to hear even a racist couldn’t hate me, that was the last time I sat next to her in the class or anywhere. I stayed away from her until I graduated.

In 2022, Olivia posted a group photo on Instagram that was taken in Budapest. Her caption read “I miss you, guys x” Olivia, me, and three other people were in the picture.

Olivia had tagged me in the picture! She didn’t even ask my permission. She wasn’t a gentlewoman.

I removed my tag from her picture. I didn’t want to be seen in a picture with a self-proclaimed racist by the world. How the turntables!

I thought to myself, “How do you like me now?”

Racist or not, what goes around comes all the way back around, darling!

Nah! That’s bullocks! It almost never does.

But, babe, I almost always make sure it does!!

Falling in love with Srini? Read these to find out if your horse is dying to take a picture with him: