Coon

This past Monday a co-worker (who is in his late 50s) was in the middle of telling a story. To be honest, I wasn't really paying attention because I was in the middle of a project. I heard, "...I haven't done that in a coon's age." My fingers stopped typing. I just sat my chair for a few moments processing what I heard while my co-worker still was going on with his story without missing a beat.

Now I know that phrase "a coon's age" means a long time, but being the only person of color working at that timeI found it a bit un-PC. I didn't find what he said racist, it was just jarring. I never heard the word 'coon' uttered outside of the television. To actually hear it in person and for the person saying it not the thing about the negative connotation, I found interesting. I turned my chair to face him, and gave him a look to say "did hear what you just said?" He looked at me, still in the middle in of story, but it didn't register. I don't know. There was no need for me to get all confrontational so I didn't say anything.

If it happens again I think I might have to pull him aside. When the new building finally opens and 350 employee fill it, he may say something similar and offend someone.