I am truck driver in a male dominated field but I'm good at my job and have learned quickly not to take any shit. That was, until I met Jack.
The day it all started I was a little late and had to meet the consultant in his shack. As I entered, he was on the phone and held up his hand to quiet me before I had said anything. It'd been a frustrating day thus far and that annoyed me further. I didn't like being late and I don't like being shushed before I've uttered a word. I'm certain a frown must have crossed my face but to this day I'm unaware if he'd noticed. Regardless, he certainly noticed my attitude when he got off the phone. He turned in his chair to face me and pierced me with his gorgeous blue eyes. He had dirty blond hair, trimmed closely on the sides but longish on top with a tendency (as I learned later) to flop boyishly down on his forehead. His shoulders were as broad as a football players and V'ed deliciously down to his hips. I barely noticed though as I was too involved in my own annoyance and frustration.
"You're late." He said simply. I liked his voice despite my mood.
"Yes, well.." I answered accusatorily, "The fucking idiot that gave me directions to this lease clearly couldn't find his ass with both hands and if you hadn't noticed it's icy as hell out there."
I'd learned early in my career that as a woman in a man's job I needed to assert myself firmly, profanely and often. To be honest, it was exhausting but it worked. However, it was very inappropriate to speak this way to the consultant. To the rig crew? Absolutely necessary. To other drivers? Completely necessary.. But the consultant holds all the power to fire or run off any worker or contractor as he sees fit.
He smiled vaguely but not without humor and said, " Well I guess that 'fucking idiot would be me."
I had the decency to blush and feel admonished. He told me what he needed me to do for work, simply and concisely as my embarrassment of my behavior grew. I'd never felt so put in my place, yet I couldn't even begin to think how'd he done it. Now I know that it was his wry smiling reaction when I insulted his authority. I couldn't upset him no matter what I said- my opinion, my feelings and probably my existence just didn't matter to him. Whether true or not that was his demeanor.
At the completion of the job I needed to get him to sign off on my ticket. Finishing quickly, he stood up abruptly and said, "I'm starving. You will meet me for supper." It wasn't a question.
"I'm married." I stated thinking blandly of my husband and our less than satisfactory life together. All of sudden, more than anything I wanted to do as the consultant told me. I didn't have a chance to say this though as he answered brusquely.
"Humph.. it's just supper, woman. And you'll be there. 7pm at Jared's. Go home and change- they won't let you in wearing that..." he said while indicating with his hand to my dirty coveralls. "Name's Jack by the way. 'Suppose you should know that." He said with the corner of his mouth curling up in a sardonic expression.
