Been Trying Not to Write About This in meh...

Friday.
No one is in the office really. Dead silence for the most part.
Just me, the occasional co-worker walking by. Some have their badges, some not. More often not and of course, I let them in.

Radio playing NPR morning news, phone blasting my “Let’s Get It-Party Mix” playlist on Spotify. It’s a typical Friday, typical day, at the office.

I make my usual rounds. Restroom, basement to get water, heat up breakfast, etc. A.K.A. Morning shit. As I was returning to my office, I bypass the VP of Development. I speak, hold the door open for her so I can walk through and get back to my office before the manic people wake up and start calling to ask their questions. I much rather prefer the calls that I have to transfer without all the pomp and circumstance.

Rerouting back to the story:
VP speaks and I think she may have said my name, but there is another woman’s name who is similar as they both end in “SA”. Then again, there is a woman with the exact same first name (spelling and all). So I thought she may have said the other woman’s name. I thought nothing of it UNTIL she double backed and said she wanted to talk to me about a couple of her employees who may not be getting along. ::Scooby-Doo head tilt:: “I’m sorry. What was that?” She repeated what she needed. I directed her to the other woman whose name she indeed called me by.

For reference:
Me- black woman, glasses, afro, fluffy around the edges, medium brown complexion, always wears whatever I want

Her- black woman, afro, fluffy around the edges, dark complexion, always wears dresses (very rarely wears pants-like maybe once every 4 months)

So I told her, “Oh you need to speak with LL about that.” Oh okay.

I waited ALL DAY. I debated whether or not to say anything at all because I’ve never really been a victim of the “All Black People Look Alike” thing. More or less I met you and I won’t remember because you’re a non-factor. I’m use to that from everyone, but never this.

So I eventually talk to LL about it under the guise that I have something to share with you. Nothing was said about it for the rest of the day. I didn’t think about it anymore…UNTIL…

Toward the end of the day, VP’s mother came to visit with friends. She was expecting her is what I was told. So I called her assistant who did not answer her phone the several times I tried to call. So I called her directly.

“Hi. Your mother is here for you.”
And where is here? “Uhm. This is T*. In the admin lobby down stairs....?”
Oh. Okay. The phone says “President’s Office.” I was expecting (someone else). “No problem.”

When she arrived downstairs, she came into my office when I was gushing about my new grandbaby and said, “I bet you think I’m just the most prejudiced person. I had LL on the mind this morning. I was in another zone. I didn’t mean that and I am so sorry.” I waved my hand it’s nothing.

After the coast was clear, I B-lined it for LL’s office. Told her she apologized and she said, “You know what? She still hasn’t reached out to me like all day. I haven’t heard from her at all.” Wow, was my response. She also stated that she spoke with someone else (of which they are in Human Resources) and that someone wondered if she should say something to me and wondered how I was feeling. LL told the other person that I was okay and I am okay. Just the whole situation was odd. And I’ve not spoken about this to another person here at work. I have “friends” I could talk to, but I know the people here and it would get around so quickly. I’m surprised my comment “It’s the only place I can listen to inappropriate music” hasn’t made the rounds.

Fast Forward to today…

I’m sitting here bored out of my skull and loving it because I am between events right now. I was perusing Facebook, going between it and my phone while listening to 1A on the radio. (I’m such the multi-tasker) A knock on my door interrupted my flow.

VP brings in these flowers from a board dinner from last night. She was talking about them and taking them out of the box, saying they needed a bit of water. I’m sitting here looking at her like okay…? and then she was about to leave. So I say, “Oh! They’re for me to have?” And she says absolutely. “Oh my…Thank you!” But I see it for what it is.

I go to get some water and walk past LL’s office. I say, “So someone is Hella apologetic about Friday.” Then told her she just gave me these flowers. I said, I don’t know if you or (other woman) said anything, but it’s unnecessary overkill on trying to show me you’re not prejudiced. It is what it is, it was what it was. We are professionals at work. I can conduct myself accordingly. I won’t look at you sideways and say shit about you at work to anyone else. I won’t even speak of this again, for real. I wasn’t going to even write about it because it was kind of a non-factor. It happened. ::shrugs:: The moment can’t be taken back and it doesn’t need to be killed with and over load of kindness because you want to make sure the waters stay smooth for sailing.

I’m just not that person constantly kicking up dust.

Now that I’ve said all that, Food Truck Friday is this Friday. I may miss it because daughter has to work.

Dah well…

Take care of yourself.

Kindest regards,
Sister