I almost cussed out a person @ work.

Read Envoy Ride first. That's the background to this almost-cuss-out-situation. Characters, White dude = Dasani. Korean chic = Coffeemate. Black girl by way of Jamiaca = Jamaica. Me...Me/Sunfresh.

Manager lady left the audit team Wednesday after lunch. Almost immediately Coffeemate started acting differently. She was casually cussing at the computer, and started bleeping out random out of context thoughts.

For example she'd start telling a story with, "Yeah, Jason and I used to go to the park." Except, Jason was some guy that none of us had ever met nor heard of. So one day I said, "Who is Jason?" Thinking that perhaps I should have known who he is and that my memory was failing me. "Ohh, he's my ex-boyfriend." (from 6 years ago mind you). Another irritating thing that I questioned her on...she said 3 times that we should have stayed in a Westin or Marriott. I'm not here to debate which one is better. We stay in Hiltons because we have a great contract rate and free full service breakfast + free room internet. The first time I explained this to her. The second time I said, "well you're working for the wrong company." Third time, "Why don't you call our Corporate travel agency and see if Westin/Marriott has contracted rates as low as Hilton with full service breakfast and free room internet." WTF. Ok, I digress...the drama comes.

I forget how she transitioned into this comment; however, out of her mouth comes, "She looks Atlantian black." Jamaica and I sit back and get quiet for a moment because we're thinking, "WTF does Atlantian black LOOK like?"

Me: Do I look Atlantian Black?
Coffeemate: No
Jamaica: Do I look Atlantian Black?
Coffeemate: No, you know what I'm trying to say.
Me. No really, I don't.
Coffeemate: SunFresh, you know So-n-So at old firm. She looks Atlantian Black. (Dasani and Jamaica don't know this woman, so they need additional clarification).
Dasani: Does Manager who was here earlier this week look Atlantian Black?
Coffeemate: Yes.
Dasani senses that Jamaica and I are either highly irritated and/or slightly offended and says something in a joking tone. This apparently upsets Coffeemate and then Coffeemate looses her cool.

Coffeemate (directed at Dasani): I'm sick of you interrogating me. You say inappropriate stuff...*rant rant rant* Dasani, see you're just a dumb white boy from ATL_Suburb, Georgia.

The room went dead silent. Dasani didn't repsond because he didn't want to validate her racist comment. Everybody else was in part shocked not knowing what to say. We were in the process of packing up for the day and in one car was Dasani, Jamaica and me.

Dasani was baffled as to what exactly he said to set her off.

The more I thought about it, the more offended and PISSED I was. Had she been a white girl calling a black man dumb, her ass would've been fired. In my mind, it doesn't matter that the guy is white. Her comment was absolutely unacceptable and in most cases would be grounds for immediately dismissal. I apologized to the white guy for having had to hear such a racist comment. He's a pretty level-headed dude and said that he wasn't as much concerned about the racist reference, as much as what did he do to piss her off.

That evening we realized that we HAD to confront her. Her rant in part was her feeling not as welcomed at a new job as she would like, and that we constantly questioned comments that she said. So we decided to apologize for that. So next morning we say, can we talk to you.

Jamaica apologized for anything that she may have said to make Coffeemate feel uncomfortable. Dasani asks what he did to upset her. (apparently she felt like we collectively interrogated her and took out all her frustrations on him, which made him feel more at ease).

Me: I'm sorry if you feel like I did something to make you feel uncomfortable and I can understand that you were upset and told Dasani about things that he personally did to upset you; however, it was absolutely UNACCEPTABLE to call him a dumb white boy from ATL_Suburb. I mean, even I was extremely offended when you said that.

Coffeemate: I didn't say that.
The entire room: YES YOU DID.
Me:Furthermore, saying racist type comments is grounds for being fired.
Coffeemate: SunFresh, you should know me better than to think...
Me: Really I don't know you.
Coffeemate: Well, I don't have a racist bone in my body. I've NEVER had this type of reaction from people at old-firm.
Me: Well, one thing to learn from this experience, is to not call anybody a dumb white person. I suggest you be very thoughtful/careful when referring to other races.
Coffeemate: I've never had this type of reaction. But okay. I will NEVER say anything about white/black or whatever type people.
Me: I think that is a good idea.
Coffeemate: I didn't think you all would talk about this. It happened yesterday, I've moved on.
Us: Well, after you made those racist comments, we all felt unresolved.

Weird thing, after this discussion, she was distant yet somewhat friendly. The CRAZY chic denied the situation and went on like nothing happened. The fact that she discounted her blow up and denied saying the racist comment leads me to believe that she is crazy and to not associate with her.

Questions for the peanut gallery:
1) Would you inform a manager about the situaiton?
2) If you were Dasani, would you want to work on another project with her?
3) WTF does a black Atlantian look like?