The Case of BF vs. WD

There’s a Black Fellow (BF) I work with. He’s big and intimidating looking. But he is a very smart genuine dude who actually listens to you when you talk. A true gentle giant.

He makes mistakes, but none that he truly does intentionally (why they call them mistakes). We trade notes when the NFL comes around. This dude is THE only person I trust when it comes to logging in film negative. He gets it. And he is a decent human being. I’ve learned he has two kids and a girlfriend. In my past rants, I’ve lambasted people who have children and can’t afford them. This dude works HARD to support them. And from the ground level, I can tell he’s desperately trying to make a better life for them. I respect that a MILLION times over.

The other day, the guy whom I’ve had a contentious relationship with a 50-ish White Dude (WD), inexplicably confided in me he attempted to have him fired. I’ve defended the BF before in the past. So it seemed odd to be the bent ear to hear his complaints. “I tried to get him shitcanned!” he bellowed. To which I just stared at him incredulously. Here’s a 50 year old WD blustering how much incompetence he was getting from this guy. And then it dawned on me. This dude has NEVER liked him. For what reason? I have ZERO idea. The BF made mistakes I would’ve made in the vault. Sometimes, it’s just…things slip. But, WD had it in for him. And when the pressure cooker popped, this WD showed his colors. Now, I really would rather not play the race card, but the BF. I have no idea why WD is so against BF. A few things come to mind. BF appears as a ghetto thug. Let’s be honest, you see him moving towards you in a dark alley, you clutch your wallet close. Sucks that it is the world we live in. BUT, upon taking time to get to know him, he is bright, diligent and when you ask him to do anything…he is really accommodating. Moreso than the rest of the entitled assholes in our vault. BF and I often times collaborate to get commercials done. But WD doesn’t see this. He could care less. He’s blinded by what is directly in front of him, and NOT what BF has done in the past. I consider BF a far better asset to the company than WD. All things considered, there really isn’t a skill set to management. Emails and pointing fingers, as one other co-worker put it. So it goes, the only thing I can surmise is that he doesn’t like BF simply because he is Black. I get the prejudice is ingrained and deep seeded. I wear mine on my sleeve and though felt that prejudice up front, realized to my stupidity BF isn’t what you expect. Not for WD. WD doesn’t take the time to get to know BF. Nor does he care. Which begs the question…why are we so contentious? Perhaps, because I sense the divide. As far as I’m concern, my “side projects” I do at work is great fodder for him to think a Chinaman can’t be better than me. So his snide comments come out. Publicly. If I protest I can’t “take a joke” or I need to “grow a sense of humor” meanwhile, try dishing out the same, and he goes running for the hills like a scared puppy that wet itself.

These are the office politics that drive me nuts. Simply because, in the trenches, only the soldiers know who fights. The officers are too busy polishing their brass and kissing politician ass. Despite what you heard about the film industry…we are indeed less civil than a drifting platoon in a thankless war.