Keeping An Eye Via Malicious Compl-Eye-ance

When I lost my part-time job due to COVID, a good friend (let’s call her “Kate”) helped me get hired at the after-school learning center her dad owns. She did warn me, though, that her dad was unapologetically racist. I’ll call her dad “Owner”.

Anyway, [Owner] and [Manager] loved me as an employee. At the 2020 Christmas party, hosted at [Owner]’s house, I got offered the role of assistant manager. We chatted for a while after, and [Owner] and I briefly bonded over our dislike of corrupt establishment politicians. (I just prefer progressives, but I didn’t disclose that part).

I think he came out of that conversation with the incorrect assumption that I shared his politics (and social views), and his racist tendencies immediately got less subtle.

In January, [Manager] hired a new employee to fill in for the role I left. The new guy was a very-dark-skinned Indian man around my and Kate’s age (twenty-four at the time).

On this guy’s first day, [Owner] was visiting (he has another job so he only comes in on Mondays). Right before students start arriving, [Owner] pulls me aside and asks me to “keep an eye on [New Employee].”

I don’t remember the exact wording that followed, but basically… without saying anything directly, [Owner] implies that he suspected [New Employee] would steal something. Despite not saying the actual words, his intentions were clear, and it was the most overt racism he’d displayed so far.

So… I’ve kept an eye on [New Employee] ever since, watching him to make sure he succeeds. I made sure he had all the support he needed. I shielded him from [Owner]’s racism as much as I could. I invited him to grab drinks after work a few times, and we ended up becoming really good friends.

And last month, when I told [Owner] I had to leave at the end of this year, I knew no one else was interested in my position as [Assistant Director], so I got most of the staff to endorse him as my replacement. I’m now training him to take over for me.

But my favorite part in all of this is that at last year’s Christmas party.

I introduced [New Employee] to Kate. They clicked like no other couple I’ve ever seen and have now been dating for almost a year. [New Employee] proposed to Kate at Thanksgiving, and she said yes, and I know they’re definitely going to be trying for kids.

The week that [Owner] found out that they’re engaged, he didn’t come in on the Monday like he usually did, so I don’t know how he’s taking it.

Anyway, can’t wait for this year’s Christmas party!