(Cindy, who works in HR, is talking to a bike messenger in the hallway, as I approach)

Cindy: “let’s see, he’s of average height… ah… he has glasses- they are a bit square framed… hmm- oh, he has short hair- well, I would describe it as short, but- oh, Sean! Sean, how would you describe Dwayne?”

me: “Dwayne?? He’s our only black employee.”

Cindy is aghast. The bike messenger (who is black), nods his head thankfully to me and starts walking to locate a man he can finally identify.

Cindy: “I’m not sure that was appropriate” (after the messenger leaves)

me: “Cindy, Dwayne isn’t just our only black employee. When I leave for a meeting or lunch, he’s the only American on this floor.”

(our eCommerce division was all Indian men at the time).

me: “Do you know how stupid we’d look if that messenger spent the next forty minutes examining the height of ninety men, 89 of which are Indian, only to eventually find Dwayne who –oh by the way, we didn’t mention but– is the black dude?”

(after a short, silent pause, a question hits me)

me: “how do describe me?”

Cindy: “I say you’re the one with blond hair”