I "try" to ask, "Am *I* who I thought I was?"...but yes admittedly I'm at a loss for answers at times.

Ah the semi-elusive double post. On the rare occasion I score a triple post, I go but a lottery ticket

well op that had to be wild reading and hearing that ... but just as some others have said deception is very easy for sum ... I was born in Atlanta and moved here later ... there was a lot of racism here...
and I felt it among the adults... and I know where some of the houses had slave quarters ... and had been around elders when they spoke ...
but being I was in public school gave me the opportunity to be around
a lot of blacks ... and some where mean but a lot weren't even became friends with a few...I would have to say I grew up around the mafia's
that took who ever got in their way out ... but something you never spoke about ... but a lot new ... somethings surprised me when I was young ... from some I did respect ... but as adult nothing surprises me now ... being I lived in NY NJ and Cali... kinda just sad that you have to see someone you admired for a long time ... only to find they where not that kind of person at all ... only on the surface...