A New York drug counselor says he is trying to get his job back after being fired for reciting a children's rhyme an African-American colleague found offensive.

Donald Cross, 65, said he is dumbfounded by the town of Babylon's move to dismiss him for alleged racial harassment, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.

Cross said he has lodged a complaint with the state Division of Human Rights in an attempt to return to the job he worked at for 15 years. He also initiated a $10 million federal lawsuit, claiming his civil rights were infringed.

Cross said he was saying the rhyme in his mind when he had an interaction with Kathleen Wood, 71, last January.

How did you learn 'Eenie, meenie, minie, moe?' Cross asked her.

Wood was reminded of the version of the rhyme that says, catch a n----r by the toe, court documents indicate.

I know the rhyme and I just didn't want to hear it, Wood said in court.

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