Dwayne sat there and continued to grin, while watching Ivan squirm. Finally, the middle manager chuckled. He said, “I know you carry your weight well around here, Ivan. You don’t have to defend your work record to me. That’s why I always lean in your direction to set examples for the other staff members. You’re not one of the complainers. You just get it done.”

Ivan nodded to him. “Thank you.”

Then Dwayne let him have it. “I’m just wondering why you never invited me out.”

Ivan felt another sack of guilt tossed on his back to carry around that morning.

He said, “Well, can I be frank here?”

“That’s why I asked you to close the door,” Dwayne told him.

Ivan nodded. “Okay, well, you know, you and I haven’t really had that kind of relationship here, and I felt that if I invited you out to something and not Chip and Mike…You know what I mean? So I just decided not to go there.”

Dwayne heard him out and continued to nod. He said, “I understand. Trust me. I often go through that dilemma myself. Am I a black man today or just a professional accountant? Am I a professional accountant today or just a black man? It still gets confusing sometimes. I just figured I would ask you about it, that’s all. I was curious.”

“Yeah, well, it was nothing personal against you, or any of the other guys at the office. But at the same time, like I said, I didn’t want anyone complaining about me doing a little something extra after work,” Ivan explained.

Dwayne said, “Well, that’s why I called you into my office. It seems you brought in a few new clients from your network parties, and we’re still discussing it with a few others.”

Ivan perked up and smiled. “Oh, yeah, I figured since I’m around professionals who are making good money, why not ask them about their accounting. So, I’m kind of, like, working my business links at the network parties instead of out at the golf course.”

“Whatever works,” Dwayne told him. “But we’re giving you the company standard of ten percent on each new client, so just continue doing what you’re doing. And I totally understand if you need to exclude me because I’m at the office. Jealousy and envy are still very much a part of the corporate structure. So keep your extra business to yourself, and I don’t know anything about it.”

Ivan felt uplifted. He had no idea Dwayne was that cool. He looked across the man’s desk and beat his heart twice with his balled fist. “That’s love, man. I appreciate that.”

Right as he said it, his cell phone vibrated against his hip, but Ivan ignored it.