The Only Black Guy in the Office
Nothing Unites a Team Like a Terrible Boss
I never thought I’d say it, but (some of) my colleagues have become a support system
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
It’s been two months since my colleagues and I began working from home, and since then, my social life has completely transformed. Social distancing has snuffed out my weekend DJ gigs and most in-person interactions outside of the office. Routine catch-ups with friends and family have lost their usual cadence, now confined to handheld devices or computer monitors. With the endless conference calls required for work, I barely have the mental bandwidth to carry personal convos over laggy Wi-Fi.
This drastic lifestyle switch-up has come with a plot twist I would’ve never expected: I’ve grown much tighter with my co-workers. Not everyone — surprise, surprise, a lot of these dudes remain assholes, even in the face of imminent societal doom — but these trying times have really cemented my bond with the workplace homies.
It was bound to happen, if you think about it. Sure, I used to see these same folks in the office every day, but telecommuting ironically fosters a more…