July 15, 2008 | Life in General, The 4-1-1 on Me
Friday’s are casual days at my job. Last Friday, I wore this shirt to work:
For all you writers out there, check out THIS STORE and THIS STORE for writer swag.
Today, my supervisor received this email:
Hi *Ann,
I received a concern from an employee that Mary Jones wore a t-shirt on Friday with the phrase “I do the white thing”. The employee questioned the appropriateness of the saying on the t-shirt. I just wanted to bring this to your attention.
Thank you,
*Jane Doe, MBA, RN
Director, Stupid Ignorant Employees
This was my supervisor’s response:
Thanks *Jane. The t-shirt actually said “I do the WRITE thing.” Celise is a writer and the t-shirt was a play on words.
This was my hubby’s initial response:
That’s awesome. *Mary Jones is your supervisor right?
And our follow-up email correspondence:
Me: Awesome? NOT! No, she’s the ********. The one we all had dinner with that night. *Ann is my supervisor.
Hubby: I thought it was hilarious. You do the white thing…and you’re married to me. Lol
Me: Well, duh. I know that. But for someone to think that I would wear a tacky shirt like that is just downright ignorant.
Hubby: I think that person is racist for thinking that you and *Mary look the same. Turn the tables a bit.
This was my BF’s response:
That’s hysterical, boundaries and people’s perceptions they wanted to create Drama around the issue they have with a non-issue! Interesting how people do this….. Open your eyes fair maiden the times of change is upon us.
For the record, *Mary is my co-worker. Due to the fact that we’re nearly the same height, the same build, the same skin tone and the same hair length, we’re frequently mistaken as family. People often ask us if we’re related. We’re not, but we have a lot of things in common. Like the fact that her wedding anniversary is a week after mine.
Second, I’ve worn that shirt numerous times and no one else had a problem reading it. Or interpreting it, for that matter (maybe she’s foreign and English is her second language)
While I concede to my hubby’s point, there’s no way in hell I would wear a shirt proclaiming that. There was no possible way it could’ve said something else? I mean, even as you were saying it to your supervisor, you’ve couldn’t have stopped and actually thought for a minute, “Huh, maybe it said write not white?” Come. On. I’m reminded again that yes, there really are stupid people in the world. And they hold down jobs. If you’re accusing someone of wearing something inappropriate, at least make sure it’s the right person! Apparently, we look so much alike that no one can tell us apart:
She (because I know it was a female that complained) might’ve gotten it right if I still had braids. Then again, there are a few African-American women here who wear braids, so it’s possible she would’ve looked even more foolish, rather than just plain old foolish.
Um, yeah, hi. If your village is missing its idiot, you can come pick her up at my job.
Just a girl says:
Hey Celise,
Thanks for all the comments! Sorry I haven’t been around much, I miss all the Monday updates!!
Anyway, love this T-shirt, and find it most amusing that someone not only thought it said “white thing” but confused you with someone else! 
Also, you asked a few weeks back if I had anything I was working on that I want to submit/publish; ideally, <a href=”http://litterarius.livejournal.com/1554.html”this short story, or this poem, both of which I’m still drafting.
x
JAG