"Damn this restaurant fancy. They got cloth napkins."
"Shanice, do you know how to code switch?"
"What's that?"
"Changing the way you speak in a professional setting."
"Olivia, I'm from the hood. This the only way I know how to talk."
"You need to change that."
"You want me to talk like a white woman?"
"Being articulate is not synonymous with being white."
"I can't talk like you. I didn't grow up around rich people."
"Listen to me very carefully. You are going to be working with high net worth individuals. White men dominate the accounting field. If you don't change your speech, you won't get any further than a receptionist. You need to be twice as good to get half of what they have. Your GPA needs to stay above a 3.6 and you need to join leadership organizations."
"A degree isn't good enough for a job?"
"Accounting is very competitive."
"How did you get your accounting job?"
"My friend hired me when he started his own company."
"Why don't you work with Mr. Walker?"
"Because I already have a job."
"I'm glad Mr. Walker is giving me a flexible schedule. It's hard balancing my kids, class and a new job."
"Why did you have so many kids? You don't take birth control?"
"Where I'm from, you get bigger tax refunds with more kids. I know it's a stupid reason, but I depend on those checks."
"You won't get a large refund when you get a high paying job. You might not owe anything since you have so many dependents."
"I bet you pay a lot of taxes."
"Yes I do, but it's worth it."
"Do you eat at restaurants like this every day?"
"I cook sometimes."
"Why doesn't the menu have prices?"
"Because nothing is cheap."
Shanice laughed and Olivia smiled.
"You are funny Olivia."