The Only Black Guy in the Office

No, I Don’t Want to Be Your Workplace Weed Buddy

Why I keep my recreational activities to myself

The Only Black Guy In the Office
LEVEL
Published in
4 min readApr 20, 2020

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Illustration: Richard A. Chance

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Before quarantine life, back when I was commuting to and from work five times a week, there was nothing better than ending a long day of office tokenism by coming home, rolling up a modestly sized blunt, and puffing a thick cloud of anxieties into the air. It was a ritual of sorts, a way to unwind and unplug from the microaggressions, stress, and fuckery that regularly take place at work. It’s only been a few weeks, but that seems like ages ago — especially with my weed stash down to the stems, and my guy not making deliveries until things calm down a little.

Here in Seattle, marijuana is not only legal, it’s also a way of life. Dispensaries, like liquor and wine shops in other cities, have been deemed “essential businesses,” and thus allowed to operate through shelter-in-place orders. Still, when the topic of marijuana arises in casual conversation with co-workers, I’ll usually deny ever inhaling, word to Hillary’s hubby.

It’s not like I even have to deny; they’re so clumsy with what they think are subtle…

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The Only Black Guy In the Office
The Only Black Guy In the Office

Written by The Only Black Guy In the Office

Do you know him? Is it you? The trials and tribulations of a Black man navigating corporate life.