Decisions… Part 4 - All Hell Breaks Loose!!

***Before, I continue to share the rest of this story.  I think that you should be aware that all of this happened 5 years before we nominated and voted in our first African American president. ***

Well, I decided to go to Keith and talk to him about the issue.  I didn't want to beg for Annabel’s job, but I didn't want her to lose her job either.  I met with him after work.  I decided to meet with him and just be honest.  He was aware that Annabel and I used to be friends and he wanted to understand our relationship and what had happened to lead up to that moment.  I explained to him that Annabel would say things that were inappropriate like... “Maybe in my next life, God would make me pretty and White” or tell me how men always prefer white women over black women unless they are “exceptionally pretty”. Another example was when she shared with me that she had not changed her residence from Florida to Maryland, because Florida did not have state taxes.  I explained to her that Maryland’s laws were very strict, if you lived in the state for more than 90 days; you were a Maryland resident and needed to pay taxes.  She explained to me that laws applied to me, and not to her.  I didn't agree with Annabel’s beliefs, so I stopped hanging out with her.  Annabel did have some good qualities, and she was an excellent developer, our client loved her, she just had some screwy ideas about race. 

Keith sat and listened to me talk, and he took notes.  He told me that he had made his decision and he was disappointed that I didn't initially report the issue to him.  He asked me to keep quiet about the situation. 

Now as the title said, all hell broke loose.  And it did, on Annabel’s side.  Annabel and I sat across from each other at work, and we continued to sit across from each other after all of this happened.  Annabel didn't want to sit near me anymore, so she would just sit at her desk and stare at me.  She asked our Deputy Director, to ask me to move to another cube away from her.  And, she started telling other co-workers what I had done to her, and explaining to them that I was jealous and out to get her.  At first the stares did bother me, but then it didn't.   I hadn't done anything wrong.  I hadn't said anything wrong.  So, I didn't feel like I should feel uncomfortable sitting at my desk and I should not be the one to move.  I told the Deputy Director that I would not be moving. After I said no, the Deputy Director went to Angela’s desk and asked her if she would move to a different location and let Annabel sit at her desk.  She said no as well and she asked him, why he was only asking the African American women to move.  However, seating arrangements was not the only concern that out Deputy Director, Bob (Yes, the same person who had locked me in the library). 

Bob thought that Keith’s decision to terminate Annabel was wrong and he had decided that he was going to argue that I overreacted and that Nigga-rigged was not a real word, so how could it be offensive.  He started interviewing the staff people and asking them if they had ever heard of this word.  Also, he asked them if they felt if Annabel was racist or had any racist tendencies.  The whole department was discussing an the issue and whether or not I was right to “report: the issue to Keith.  I was viewed as the troublemaker.  I can’t tell you how many times I would enter a room and people would stop talking.  Annabel continued to stare at me until they finally moved her.  I was shunned because I had asked someone “What’s wrong?” at least that is how I felt.  

Decisions… Part III - The Beginning of Chaos. Nothing went as planned.

Well, the next morning, I came into work and Annabel was at her desk waiting for me.  “I need to speak to you privately.” She said.  We went into the server room.  I was expecting to get the former apology that her manager and I had discussed.  As soon as the door closed she started talking…

I wrote you a formal letter of apology.  I hope that you are happy with this situation.  You have cost me my job.  Oh, and by the away, you should get an Oscar for this surprised look that you have on your face right now.  I am not falling for it.  I always knew that you were jealous of me because I am White and blonde.  But causing me to lose my job?  Was this really necessary? 

I didn't say anything.  What was the point?  She already had her beliefs.  I left the room thinking.. well, so much for an apology.  I realize that some of what she said came out of anger.  But, some of what she said was actually what she believed.  As I had said earlier, I had been her friend and certain things that she had said to me caused me to pull away from her.  For example, she had two cute little dogs that I used to walk when she would go home to Florida on the weekends, or go on vacation.  I liked animals, and I didn't mind spending time with them.  After doing this for her a couple of times, she asked if it would be inappropriate for her to ask me to wash her windows, clean the carpet and do the laundry on the weekends, for pay of course.  I told her that yes, it would be inappropriate.  And that was the end of the conversation.  There were other moments that we experienced that made me pull away.  But, that was all that I did.  I was still friendly towards her at work but I did not hang out with her anymore.  If she asked me out, I would just politely make an excuse and then go about my business.  Now I was being accused by her of pulling the race card because I was jealous of her race.  And now, I am supposed to go to my boss and beg him to not to fire her because her boss screwed up.  It was too much, I couldn't do it.  However, in spite of what had happened, I didn't want her to lose her job.  I just wanted this whole situation to end.  It had only been last weekend when I was concerned about being fair.  I felt like no one else ever had that concern. 

I decided to go to my boss and just be honest.  My decision was not bad, but this was the beginning of all hell breaking loose.