A Story .. or How We Met
Raenyn did her story about getting lost in Korea and then requested stories from everyone else. ... So, here goes! (it's an overseas story, too)
I had just been transferred to Germany as a civilian employee working for the Army. It was my first supervisory job. My first time overseas. My first foreign country. Cool. I'm tough; I can do this.
In my first week on the job, my new co-workers and I frequented the local dining facility on post. It was cheap food, quick lunch, and not bad most days. In the dining facility, you go through the line, cafeteria style. After you find a table in a massive room full of tables, you enjoy your meal (sometimes!) before bussing your dishes to the back where the dishwashers (people, not machines) take care of the dirties.
So, our little crew finished our lunch ... no, I don't remember what it was. I was the last one in the group heading for the back, when this young, moderately attractive man in jeans and a sweater jumps up in front of me and introduces himself. Okay, I need to get back to work, but I can be pleasant for a moment. He asks me if I know of any places he can hang some flyers for the German-American Kontakt Club.
I've been in-country for about a week. But I put forth an effort. "I haven't been here long, but I do know the building I work in has bulletin boards on the first floor."
"Oh, great. Where do you work."
"In Accounting."
"Wow. Your husband must be really proud you can balance a checkbook."
Okay, at this point, the two little voices in my head pipe up. (Yes, I have entire conversations inside my head, as the following will illustrate. And, no, I'm not nuts! :P)
One astonished little voice says, "He did not just lay that lame-ass pick-up line on me, did he?"
The other little voice is rolling around, laughing hysterically, "Oh, yes! He did!"
After the split second that this conversation took in my mind, I responded, "I'm not married." I did an abrupt about-face and walked away. I was absolutely amazed this little twirp accosted me in the dining facility and deceived me into thinking he needed help when what he really wanted was to try picking me up. The nerve! (yes, believe it or not, I was mildly offended.)
So, I caught up with my crew and we went back to the office. They razzed me big time. But we laughed and cut up over it all the way back.
Two hours later, this same fresh-faced kid pops into my office with a bouquet of flowers to welcome me to Germany on behalf of the Kontakt Club. I just told him, "Thanks" and tossed the flowers to the back of my desk before getting back to my work. He left immediately.
Secretly, I was impressed all-to-hell that he'd found me so quickly. The Accounting office where I worked was in a four-story building housing the military Payroll Offices on three floors. The unit I was working for was on the fourth floor and had no association with the command with whom we shared the building.
But I certainly did not want any messy entanglements in my life!
What became of that poor young man with the nerve to assault me for a date while I was busy living my life and career? ... Within a few weeks, he'd overcome the objections of my co-workers (who turned out to be more like family) and convinced them to talk me into an afternoon sightseeing date. Things went well, time passed, and we will be celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary tomorrow. :)
I had just been transferred to Germany as a civilian employee working for the Army. It was my first supervisory job. My first time overseas. My first foreign country. Cool. I'm tough; I can do this.
In my first week on the job, my new co-workers and I frequented the local dining facility on post. It was cheap food, quick lunch, and not bad most days. In the dining facility, you go through the line, cafeteria style. After you find a table in a massive room full of tables, you enjoy your meal (sometimes!) before bussing your dishes to the back where the dishwashers (people, not machines) take care of the dirties.
So, our little crew finished our lunch ... no, I don't remember what it was. I was the last one in the group heading for the back, when this young, moderately attractive man in jeans and a sweater jumps up in front of me and introduces himself. Okay, I need to get back to work, but I can be pleasant for a moment. He asks me if I know of any places he can hang some flyers for the German-American Kontakt Club.
I've been in-country for about a week. But I put forth an effort. "I haven't been here long, but I do know the building I work in has bulletin boards on the first floor."
"Oh, great. Where do you work."
"In Accounting."
"Wow. Your husband must be really proud you can balance a checkbook."
Okay, at this point, the two little voices in my head pipe up. (Yes, I have entire conversations inside my head, as the following will illustrate. And, no, I'm not nuts! :P)
One astonished little voice says, "He did not just lay that lame-ass pick-up line on me, did he?"
The other little voice is rolling around, laughing hysterically, "Oh, yes! He did!"
After the split second that this conversation took in my mind, I responded, "I'm not married." I did an abrupt about-face and walked away. I was absolutely amazed this little twirp accosted me in the dining facility and deceived me into thinking he needed help when what he really wanted was to try picking me up. The nerve! (yes, believe it or not, I was mildly offended.)
So, I caught up with my crew and we went back to the office. They razzed me big time. But we laughed and cut up over it all the way back.
Two hours later, this same fresh-faced kid pops into my office with a bouquet of flowers to welcome me to Germany on behalf of the Kontakt Club. I just told him, "Thanks" and tossed the flowers to the back of my desk before getting back to my work. He left immediately.
Secretly, I was impressed all-to-hell that he'd found me so quickly. The Accounting office where I worked was in a four-story building housing the military Payroll Offices on three floors. The unit I was working for was on the fourth floor and had no association with the command with whom we shared the building.
But I certainly did not want any messy entanglements in my life!
What became of that poor young man with the nerve to assault me for a date while I was busy living my life and career? ... Within a few weeks, he'd overcome the objections of my co-workers (who turned out to be more like family) and convinced them to talk me into an afternoon sightseeing date. Things went well, time passed, and we will be celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary tomorrow. :)