A white young man walked in and was immediately attended to by one of the three staff members surrounding the counter. My black self was about four steps behind the young man and was therefore able to observe that he was received with a smile and asked how he could be assisted. My arrival and waiting my turn was not acknowledged by any of the three staffers in the store. A white lady walked in about a minute later and one of the two staffers who were not attending to the young man leapt (yes, leapt!) from behind the counter and rushed to the white lady BEHIND ME to ask how she could assist her. All this with a big smile on her face. The third staffer - who it became apparent had noticed that I was in the store and that I had arrived before the white lady - quickly asked if she could help me. I shook my head, said, "no thank you", and walked away; partly incredulously, but also not too surprised as this kind of thing happens far too often in Cape Town.
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