the boy's club

Today I was summoned to this AF guy's office. I was surprised, and a little apprehensive, as the officers avoid me like the plague unless they have to talk to me. Except for the 3 secretaries I'm the only woman in the building, the only woman in western dress, and I'm taller than most of the men I work with.

I walked into the office and there were four other guys there. I was invited to sit down, and given a large glass of watermelon juice. Then a tea boy came in and gave everyone else orange juice. The AF guy told me that he had heard I like watermelon (probably from the meat sandwich incident) and he had sent someone out to get it for me.

I tried to discuss something I've been working on, but the officer finally told me to chill. He just wanted to hang out. It was kind of strange because people kept coming in to his office to get papers signed and permissions for things and we were all just sitting there while he yelled at people and refused to sign forms.

Then I was given a hummus wrap. The officer asked if I knew what hummus was. I launched into a description of the different places I buy hummus in the US. He asked if I was scared to be in his country. I told him I wasn't, and that I wanted to go rock climbing in a particular area which, by coincidence, is where he is from, though most people never visit there because it's really remote and considered the back water. Brownie points.

There was another officer there who apparently thought I was british, who launched into a diatribe about americans who come to this country. Then someone else pointed out I obviously am not british. I told the officer that I enjoyed his diatribe, and that he should have his own TV show. This was surprisingly the right thing to say. I also nicknamed him the Rock because I couldn't really pronounce his name. More brownie points.

After about an hour I said that I had to get some work done. The officers invited me to go shooting with them. But they shoot not just guns but RPGs. I was like I don't think I should shoot an RPG and one of the officers said "they are much easier to hit targets with than guns".

So, somehow, I suspect because of my colleague AH, I've been inducted into the boys' club at the base. They apparently frequent the restaurants at my hotel so I'll probably meet up with them one night. Weirdly, I think rock climbing is what made them think I might be more fun to hang out with than the average girl. They want to learn.

As I was leaving, the officer who invited me up said if I ever have any problems to call him. Since I am scheduled to go out for ladies' night with Ireland and her UK friends, I thought it wouldn't hurt to have an ace in my back pocket.