i think i could set a world record for finding something in a messy room. i'd do better than clean people because they expect things to be where they go so they don't know what to do when they're not there.

Q: What would you do in Ferguson that a standard reporter wouldn't?

A: I'd do a special on race, but I'd have no black people.

Q: Well, that would be much more revealing.

A: Yes, that would be an event. Here's the thing. When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it's all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people were crazy. Now they're not as crazy. To say that black people have made progress would be to say they deserve what happened to them before.

Q: Right. It's ridiculous.

A: So, to say Obama is progress is saying that he's the first black person that is qualified to be president. That's not black progress. That's white progress. There's been black people qualified to be president for hundreds of years. If you saw Tina Turner and Ike having a lovely breakfast over there, would you say their relationship's improved? Some people would. But a smart person would go, "Oh, he stopped punching her in the face." It's not up to her. Ike and Tina Turner's relationship has nothing to do with Tina Turner. Nothing. It just doesn't. The question is, you know, my kids are smart, educated, beautiful, polite children. There have been smart, educated, beautiful, polite black children for hundreds of years. The advantage that my children have is that my children are encountering the nicest white people that America has ever produced. Let's hope America keeps producing nicer white people.

Q: It's about white people adjusting to a new reality?

A: Owning their actions. Not even their actions. The actions of your dad. Yeah, it's unfair that you can get judged by something you didn't do, but it's also unfair that you can inherit money that you didn't work for.

Peter and I were reminiscing about you and Marty a couple of weeks ago. We were at an International Fair at Drew and Meredith's school. Parents from each country represented in the school (about 50 countries) had booths with typical foods from their home country. It was a feast! The American tent had chili, rice crispy treats, candy, chips and soda. Yes, as sad as that sounds, that's what we're known for. Peter and I might hijack the booth next year and do pulled pork, slaw and baked beans, layered in a large cup like a trifle dessert .... but I digress.

The booth next to the American booth was Korean. There, high above the table, hung the sign Korean Bulgogi. I remember Troy describing one of his favorite dishes that you were preparing that night and the favorite restaurant that served it. He asked if I was familiar. No, I wasn't, but gosh it sounded good. A few hours later, one of your offspring rang the doorbell and handed me a plastic container of bulgogi and rice. "Here. My dad wanted you to try this. Bye." Mmmm, it IS good!

Troy, I hope you have a wonderful birthday today.