Be Careful With Your Free Speech

(I work at a grocery market where my job is scanning and keeping track of bakery sales. Having just started my shift I am searching for my portable scan-gun. I see that the deli is borrowing it and ask Coworker #1 there to get it for me. Coworker #1 is black.)

Me: “Hi! Can I get the scan-gun?”

Coworker: *cheerfully* “Sure! Your wish is my command!”

(Her quote reminds me of the Disney’s Aladdin character Genie. Without thinking I respond with Aladdin’s quote to Genie.)

Me: “And now I wish you to be free!”

(Coworker #1 immediately frowns and looks offended.)

Coworker #1: “I already am free!”

(It takes me a split second to realize what I’ve done. My face turns bright red with embarrassment.)

Me: “Wait! No! I didn’t mean that! I was just movie-quoting what Aladdin said to Genie! I didn’t mean… I’m sorry! I was just—”

(She continues to glare at me and I’m too embarrassed to keep talking. I stammer a few more apologies out, grab my scan-gun and dash away. She told one of her coworkers and they burst into laughter explaining that I was a movie buff and tend to movie quote a lot. I was told later that she let it slide.)