Went to the wine store last night in a different hood.

I was third in line. I had my bottles, I was on the way to dinner with folks. Dude at the register was plain and cordial with each person in front of me (thank you for your business! have a wonderful evening!), but when he got to me he immediately tried to be down on some "What up B! How you living?" (think Micheal Rapaport going from accent to blaccent)

Some other telling things happened during the transaction, but this part of the whole interaction gives me a bit of pause.

I have no problem with someone being "down" but I do have a problem with someone dropping into total informality just because of my skin color.

Even if dude was black I would still have a moment where I would think to myself "you don't know me, how you just going to assume we cousins already?"

Most of the time a smart employee will feel things out before just going into some "he might like this shit" areas of rapport. I say this as someone who has a ton of retail experience in my work history.


You feel this or nah?



oh yeah,

potential possibility #1; maybe dude was from around the way and was just being himself

potential possibility #2; this is NY, dude coulda been all sorts of high yellow/white Carribean

>Went to the wine store last night in a different hood.
>
>I was third in line. I had my bottles, I was on the way to
>dinner with folks. Dude at the register was plain and cordial
>with each person in front of me (thank you for your business!
>have a wonderful evening!), but when he got to me he
>immediately tried to be down on some "What up B! How you
>living?" (think Micheal Rapaport going from accent to
>blaccent)
>
>Some other telling things happened during the transaction, but
>this part of the whole interaction gives me a bit of pause.
>
>I have no problem with someone being "down" but I do have a
>problem with someone dropping into total informality just
>because of my skin color.
>
>Even if dude was black I would still have a moment where I
>would think to myself "you don't know me, how you just going
>to assume we cousins already?"
>
>Most of the time a smart employee will feel things out before
>just going into some "he might like this shit" areas of
>rapport. I say this as someone who has a ton of retail
>experience in my work history.
>
>
>You feel this or nah?
>
>
>
>oh yeah,
>
>potential possibility #1; maybe dude was from around the way
>and was just being himself
>
>potential possibility #2; this is NY, dude coulda been all
>sorts of high yellow/white Carribean
>
>

in that Hulk-Hogan-voice.

this story reminded me.

in that i'm ok with it about 5% of the time. I had old co-worker that was a country boy and saying "I hear you brother" was a part of his whole energy/vibe/vernacular

the board


*seemingly

On the other side of the coin, POC customers who act differently in
the presence of my non-black staff (regardless of whether or not they
realize I'm management) REALLY pluck my nerves.

I'm not understanding fully. care to explain further?

... and politely or tersely ask for assistance before going on their
way vs. asking me for a hook up and discount, or exclaiming
(usually loudly) how expensive something is, or just shooting the
shit like we're at the reunion instead of my professional workplace...

https://youtu.be/wpettPE-lqM

I've never seen that flick. That's a pretty accurate portrayal of how some folks want to take you there haha. Kevin Hart is a fool.

It still gets my goat though...

But I think i'm MORE offended and pissed at it when it's a brother or sister cashier and they go straight informal & unprofessional with me after they yucked it up to the 5 white folks that preceded me....I'm good for calling them out on it too.

"Get ready..for your blessing..."

damn.


well, actually, maybe when i was in my early early 20s I was called out for doing that to a black professional (doctor?) when I was on the retail floor

"Ok, i'm gonna back up so we can try this greeting again....*smiles*"

It goes over better with brothers though.....with sisters it's a gamble....


"Get ready..for your blessing..."

"Get ready..for your blessing..."

at car dealerships. they try to be your friend on some 'we from the streets mayne'. I had to tell my cousin to be careful of those type salesman cuz this is a business transaction, not a budding friendship.

yeah, I just start speaking and people realize what time it is.

#bougieblack

Seems like you wasn't in the mood for idle chit chat. I think we all been there. But, I would rather have someone do what ol boy did to you while ringing up my shit than to have these same conversations with other people while waiting 3+ deep in line. I am sure he meant no harm, but then again, I don't know what his reasoning for taking to you like he did. Maybe next time, there will be another cashier who will not chit chat. Just hope this person will be courteous and respectful.

He said you shouldn't interact with me any differently than the other customers.

Something along those lines.

Maybe try and go for a pound, hand slap, bro hug, all in one motion to really through him off.

confuse the fuck outta him so he'd stop assuming

d

Ok so I'm walking in my neighborhood a month ago. I see a lemonade stand. Happy lil Jewish girls tending to it. I don't want any lemonade, but I support the kids. So I walk up ans this blonde girl gives me like a "bro-man" head nod and greets me with a "what up yo."

I immediately side-eye her real big. I greet her with "Well how are you all today? Very well I trust."

She kinda stared at me. Her friend picked up on it though and was like "We are well sir, and yourself."

We proceeded to speak professionally while I slapped my $2 donation on the table. Then blondy goes "peace out!" and I say. "You have a great day, and take care."

"You too!"

"Indeed."

I don't do the slang shyt with the brothers... how you gone get me doing that with you? Make me my lemonade and kick rocks lol.

you niggas aint for real.

that's how Ispeak on a daily basis I promise. My son speak similarly because I won't allow for lazy speech in my house. My mom raised me like that and it was a great thing, so I am doing the same. What's so wrong with speaking English?

that would immediately shift the tone from homeboy, to stick-in-the-mud, and this was it.

full disclosure - i immediately started practicing 'very well, i trust' outloud as soon as i read that.

i wanna get good at it, cause im tired of niggas coming to me with fucked up english, too. but i totally understand it.

just yesterday, a nigga thought i was jamaican. came at me all kinds of islandy.

i couldn't understand the mutha fucka. he tried twice.

i could barely make out a word.

then he totally dopped the accent and talked to me regularly.

that was the ultimate waste of time.

"Get ready..for your blessing..."

My way of saying "eff ya'll lil racist bastids..." without saying eff you you racist lil bastids lool.

i will hit them with the patented "uh, hello" along the lines of thaanthology up there
no thank u.