Learning experience at work

[Katy]

I used to have hair down past my knees. Complete strangers would take a hold of my braid in the store. I would smile nicely at them when in actuality I wanted to pop them upside the head and scream DO NOT TOUCH ME!

 

[theoldchick]

Long, long ago in a state far, far away I had a similar situation happen to me while working in a cotton mill. I was married (still am to the same feller) and had a handsome young buck give me a tug on the back of the head as we sweated in the confines of the weaver room.

Like any well-bred Southern Belle I reacted in an appropriate manner. This young buck promptly lost two front teeth and was sore in his nether regions for quite some time. The term 'sexual harassment' did not exist back then but Southern Etiquette was well understood among coworkers.

Flirting is great fun...just be very careful!

 

[twentynine]

Don't even know where to start with this one.

At first I thought it has got to be a joke, nobody in his right mind would ---
1. Pull such a stupid trick at work, you don't pooh where you eat,
2. touch the wrong person like that, and you can (should) draw back a nub
3. Can you imagine the field day that a lawyer would have with the sexual harassment suite.
4. it's a good thing that you only thought her hair was amazing, what about them-- (I'll leave it at that, but you all can see where it's headed, right)

If it's got to be explained to you, with you being a grown man and such. Ain't no amount of explaining gonna help you. And you call it a learning experience-- remarkable!

Amazing hair, sure, but you don't act on it dummy. It's called restraint, common sense, proper manners, proper conduct.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I'm glad to see it qualified: If it's a co-worker that you aren't friendly already with (this situation), it might be flirting and might be a problem.
I wouldn't be offended over such a small thing, but best thing is to keep your hands to yourself in the workplace ----
-Yes-
-No-
Circle One.

Lisa

 

[JetBlack]

She and I have worked together for almost three years. Lots of time to get to know where the boundaries are. Plenty of joking and lighthearted teasing. This went too far and we both went with it, in the spirit of lightheartedness.

However, I think we BOTH had serious second thoughts after that. This morning, we both simply said "'Morning" and there was hardly a smile throughout the day. We kept our distance and acted like co-workers. That was sort of weird and it felt weird. At lunch, I thought 'People are going to think we slept together, because we are not joking and flirting at all.'

What would you think of two co-workers who used to shout across the office, on Fridays

"HEY! WE SHOULD MEET AT THE HOTEL FOR HOT SEX!"

"OKAY!"

and

"We should get married."

"But we are married.... oh, you mean to each other!"

And then suddenly, it's all business and professionalism and mild worry.

Yeah. They did it. We did not actually act that way or say those things, but there was clear office-place flirting.

I will take feeling weird over feeling guilty. I don't want to be "that guy". I'd much rather counsel a couple on how to love each other the most or the best. That would be better than causing any couple to break up. Guh, I feel guilty and wrong. I made a rule, long ago, not to date anyone I worked with. Obviously no one wants to have to see their ex-anything, every dang day. "Well what if we don't break up?" When any single person says that little gem to another one, the listener should reply "Have you ever had a relationship that worked out?" I don't want to date anyone who has not completed their divorce and waited the "Dr. Joy Approved" time period. I don't want to date ANY married women for the whole cornucopia of reasons. Like that one in the Bible f'rinstance.

I can't believe I made this mistake. What an idiot. I can't even blame love. I mean, love will make you do STUPID things. Remember the astronaut who drove across the country? I totally understand. When you are in love, you might as well be on drugs. There should be a warning about operating heavy machinery too, because I know even attraction will make you bonk forklifts into expensive things.... I heard. You can say "That astronaut knew right from wrong." Well, her brain did, but her brain wasn't running the show. Her heart was. And hearts are stupid. They only want what they want. And they want it now.

But I digress.... again.

We need to stay on this path, she and I have chosen. The path that does not lead to misery, suffering and possibly gunfire.

 

[PineappleMama]

Well, now I've got THAT song in my head...

Sounds like you know what you have to do... for your relationship and your job's sake.

Something small like touching her hair could be sexual harassment... depending on the jury.

It started way back in third grade....

 

[Katy]

I'd think they had been acting pretty juvenile and were finally realizing that it was time they acted like adult co-workers.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
The same thing happens to pregnant women. Get a bump out there and it become public property

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
The same thing happens to pregnant women. Get a bump out there and it become public property

Oh I can relate to that! Everytime a lady would come up and rub my belly, I wanted to scream! HANDS OFF LADY and I CERTAINLY DO NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!