The LAST word....really

[Star*]

You know - I work in an office FULL of men and testosterone and dirt....

So I have to be able to hold my own - and I do quite well.

I don't BOTHER them - I expect the same in kind.

So Imagine my disbelief when my boss walked by my office this afternoon and said "I like the halloween costume - what are you supposed to be?"

I had to think for a minute - because NO ONE dressed up - I'm just dressed normal - like every day, but the other men were snickering and aheming - so I said.....

"I came as YOU - surely you can see I did my best all day to be an uptight, pretentious, mouthy, little smartass.

No other words were uttered.

I'm pretty sure I won't get asked the same question next year and the laughing and snickering and aheming went to - WELL GOTTA GO....


Do not play with me - you will not win.

 

[Andy]

umpkin:
.
.
Very well done!
.
.

.
​

 

[gcvmom]

GO GIRL! (oops, I mean, DOWN girl...)

 

[WhymeMom?]

GREAT COSTUME...... did you win the contest in your office? Love it!

 

[donna723]

Good one! You'd think they would have learned by now!

 

[mstang67chic]

Ohhhhhh....you so need to come work with me. We would have so much fun!!!

 

[Jena]

LOL is all I can say...............

 

[mrscatinthehat]

I must bow before you oh wise one.

beth

 

[susiestar]

I also bow before the QUEEN of EVERYTHING.

Sincerely,

Princess of Quite A Lot

ps. Rock ON!

 

[Hound dog]

What were they thinking? Really. lol

 

[Abbey]

Word to the wise...don't tangle with Star. I personally would keep myself a safe distance. (wink, dear...I'd take you in a fair fight)

Abbey

 

[janie]

giggles ..... absolutely BRILLIANT! .....

I wouldn't have had the courage - but, wow I enjoyed your comment ..... I would have loved to have seen his expression afterwards ..... (more chuckling here) ......

 

[KTMom91]

Very, very nice!

 

[Estherfromjerusalem]

Star, you are invincible. I am just in awe of you.

Did you really say that?

Love,

awestruck Esther

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Star,

PERFECT response!!! WFEN

 

[totoro]

Good!
My smart *** mouth would have said something like, "Your Wife"
Big smile and turned away...
I probably would have been asked to pack em!
I have bartended a long time. if you said something like that to a woman they would be miffed for days. Most guy's can dish it and take it!
You are a wordsmythe.

 

[Stella Johnson]

 

[Marguerite]

Oh, yes... I remember those days, when the menfolk I worked with kept trying to either get a rise out of me or were incredibly patronising, or simply very unpleasant in chauvinistic ways. I'd go to the workshop after various bits of equipment and they'd always try to make some sort of sexual innuendo out of it. I had a few stock comments up my sleeve and kept trying to ring the changes so they would seem off-the-cuff. My favourite was reserved for when they were making comments about the sizes of their appendages or capabilities; I would say, "That reminds me - I have to buy some toothpicks on the way home." Or, if they were really obvious, "Put it away, little boy, it's too young to be out, it will catch cold."

I've found that when you have a group of men together and one woman as the source of their entertainment, they will egg one another on, one will step further forward almost as the spokesperson (or the person who drew the short straw) and will be the one to speak. The aim - to make the solitary female the focus of the humour. Many women will crumble in this situation, or will get loudly indignant. This only adds to the amusement of the men and reinforces the view that women have no sense of humour. It also increases the chance of more scenes like this. it is harassment, pure and simple, but complaining doesn't stop it. Getting the men at their own game, will.

The weak link to this scenario - it will backfire on the bloke if the woman can maintain her dignity and even come back with a gentle (or biting) riposte, with a smile. You keep the smile so if the bloke complains you can use his line, "What's the matter? NO sense of humour?" And you do it in front of the other men not only so they can be witnesses to their brother's humiliation, but to also warn them to not try this themselves or they will be on the receiving end. To lose face in front of other men, when you were expecting to elevate your status - it's a harsh lesson they don't forget in a hurry. But if you keep a smile on your face you're making it clear that YOU hold the upper hand.

I found that it didn't take too long before not only did they stop trying this sort of thing on with me, but I found myself accepted as one of the men, they stopped being silly and I was able to get on with my job unmolested and unobtrusively.

I have a number of anecdotes but I can't share them because the site censor would have a field day!

Star, you're a legend! You handled it just right. I saw a lot of women try to handle this sort of thing with legal affront but they ended up having to leave because the workplace became increasingly intolerable for them. I tried it too for a while - but the more indignant I got, the worse the response from the men until they were extremely hostile. So I switched tack and used humour, generally the same sort of humour, back at them. When they stuck pictures of naked women up on the walls I found pictures of naked men and stuck those up. I made sure that any 'naughty bits' were completely fig-leaved or airbrushed out, so they actually looked emasculated.

Working with men in a male-dominated workplace isn't easy. But it can be done, with success.

Marg

 

[Star*]

Well ---- either way - I got a free lunch on the boss today -

Apparently his "joke" gave him quite the laughs at their Halloween party with their friends -

Never. saw. it. coming.

And yes, I really DID say that.

OHHHHHH and I got a "You look nice today - really." lol.....

 

[TYLERFAN]

Ha ha ha ha ha