Several years ago, I got so fed up with Justin’s Islamophobia
that I told him to stop calling me. After
a few months of silence, he started emailing me instead, continuing his side of our dialogue
as though nothing had happened. Having
no one else to talk to, I replied, and he started calling me
again. Now he’s started emailing me again. But instead of vilifying Muslims, these emails vilify Indians.
The first emails vilified his boss at AC. I assumed there had been some quarrel between them, and told Justin to forget it because he no longer works at AC. He doesn’t even live in India any more. To my relief, he stopped sending me emails vilifying his former boss. He now sends me emails vilifying all his former co-workers at AC.
He said they mocked his name, calling him "Just out". It's not much of a joke, so instead of laughing I commiserated with him, saying it’s unfortunate his work environment was so hostile, and told him not all Indians are like his co-workers at AC. He replied that all Indians are "nasty". He even called them “niggers”.
It's never a good idea to know anyone too well. Sooner or later they all reveal some part of themselves that disgusts me. I try not to show it—I have no right to judge others—but I can’t help being disgusted.
I’d tell him, again, to stop calling me, but Justin’s paying me to do research for a project he’s doing for his current employer, so I can’t quit. Not because he’s paying me—although I can certainly use the money—but because I agreed to help him, and the project is more complex than he realized. It could make his career, so I’m not going to abandon him in the middle of it.
And if I did tell him, again, to stop calling me, there's a possibility, however slight, that this time he might do it. Then who would I talk to?
The first emails vilified his boss at AC. I assumed there had been some quarrel between them, and told Justin to forget it because he no longer works at AC. He doesn’t even live in India any more. To my relief, he stopped sending me emails vilifying his former boss. He now sends me emails vilifying all his former co-workers at AC.
He said they mocked his name, calling him "Just out". It's not much of a joke, so instead of laughing I commiserated with him, saying it’s unfortunate his work environment was so hostile, and told him not all Indians are like his co-workers at AC. He replied that all Indians are "nasty". He even called them “niggers”.
It's never a good idea to know anyone too well. Sooner or later they all reveal some part of themselves that disgusts me. I try not to show it—I have no right to judge others—but I can’t help being disgusted.
I’d tell him, again, to stop calling me, but Justin’s paying me to do research for a project he’s doing for his current employer, so I can’t quit. Not because he’s paying me—although I can certainly use the money—but because I agreed to help him, and the project is more complex than he realized. It could make his career, so I’m not going to abandon him in the middle of it.
And if I did tell him, again, to stop calling me, there's a possibility, however slight, that this time he might do it. Then who would I talk to?
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