Chaperone Services...

It started as I was on an airplane flight and travel to a semi-fancy resort type hotel. Checking in I was welcomed into an engineering conference and training program, exactly what was being discussed or educational subject covered is to be discussed.

I am taken to my room/suite and it is somewhat fancy, comfortable and nice, but I have no view, except for roadways, traffic and other high-rise buildings.

I am informed that an introduction and general overview discussion and cocktail party is scheduled for 6PM that first night.

As my company is small, basically a start-up there is no huge engineering staff, so it was just me at the conference and I knew nobody there. But besides what I could learn I was also required to "network" or introduce myself and my company to as many other people and businesses as possible.

This networking is a formal game most professionals and businessmen and women dance to at all meeting: Hi, I am so-so from company XYZ, we are into this technology or manufacturing... This is repeated by the other person, then the all important exchanging of the business cards.

These exchanges take place all over, restaurants, hotels, motels, inside and outside, even inside latrines, cars, trucks and taxis and the all important, last shot, the airport...

Trouble comes in trying to remember who and what all these pounds of business cards come from. First you must eliminate the unless or non-applicable cards/contacts, then sort the remaining into levels of best possible options, maybe worth something, then secondary resources or information that maybe useful.

If you don't you could drown in the number of business cards you collect in even a single conference or meeting, beside paying extra fees to fly overweight luggage.

Most of these meetings or conferences are attended by mostly men, most likely 98% or more of men are in the technology sector, but a few brave and very smart women have gotten the clue that this is a sector where females can succeed, not on looks but brains and ability. Nobody cares what you look like, male or female, if your plane crashes, your engine blows up or your tech does not function...

I attend the introduction, NO really just an excuse to drink, cocktail party, and was not surprised to see mostly men, the few women that may be here avoid these events, as drunk men can't discuss business and forget to be GENTLE-MEN when any females are around.

I do hope one day women take over business 100%, and these SOB men get a real good taste it of their own medicine - being treated as nothing more than sex objects, being hassled, disrespected and mistreated, as they have done themselves so many times.

As I looked over the discussion group and measured the alcohol level of most of the men I decided that nothing useful could come from trying to discuss anything with the majority of these "men".

As I very much respect women, as truly GOD's gift to man, they should be honored, protected and treasured as the real precious items they really are. I also did not want myself included in the gaggle of horn-dogs introducing themselves to these women, all hoping for something besides business exchanges.

I started to leave but one of the women I knew, seemed to wave or flag me down, OK this may be difficult as I could not place her name, company or where we seen each other before.

So my surprise I see a group of 3 more women setting at a table behind her talking. Smile on my face, nice greeting and hope for the best, I approached the women's table...

I shook hands with the ladies and they were kind enough to introduce themselves, Judy in Electronics Devices, Sally in aluminum assemblies, Eve in AI Technology and Tammy with a sub-assemblies manufacturer.

After all the niceties Judy, whom I knew from a contract meeting at the home office, pulled me aside and asked if I could be their Chaperone - WHAT? A quick explanation followed, I guess from my dumb look on my face. They all read the room full of men, much like I had, and they saw the decline into debauchery that I had seen coming.

From all my parent's taught me I gladly stepped up and offered my aid to these damsels in distress, I puffed out my chest, posed in my best knight in shining armor pose and agreed to their request.

We all agreed that the best course of action was a quick tactical retreat from this group of vile men. I suggested a restaurant I had seen from my room down the street, advertised to serve good simple food.

All the ladies agreed, thinking a short walk would be nice, and scattered toward the elevators to drop off and pick up whatever they needed and would meet back in the lobby in 10-minutes.

I had no need to return to my room, so stood guard waiting for the girls to return. First back was Eve, but she was very quiet and reserved, nothing but a smile was exchanged between us, that was fine with me. The other three women and caught up with each other in the elevator, so joined us at the same time.

The nigh air was cool, but not cold and very refreshing after the stale air and chemical "fresheners" in the hotel. It raised the spirits of all the ladies, maybe also getting free from the possible monsters in the motel helped as well.

We all walked into the restaurant, I was holding the door, which strangely got kind comments from some of the ladies... What kind of creepy men did these women have to deal with in their lives?????

The food was good, and service was quick, so dinner did not last long. I got a quick, but simple background/introduction from all the women, but not Eve, maybe she was shy or very reserved, and fighting to be overheard from the other three ladies maybe it was difficult for her...

We sat at the table for some time, maybe fear of what was happening at out hotel, but our talks were funny, informative and enjoyable, I had a good time.

Finally after being approached by our server and her manager several times, we got the hint, then got up and walked back to our hotel. Again the three women banded together, leaving Eve trailing behind. Acting as Chaperone, in my official capacity, I dropped back and took up a protective rear guard position next to Eve.

I smiled at her and softly asked if everything was OK? She smiled back, but said nothing, but did pick up the pace just a bit, getting closer to the other women.

Entering the hotel, we all saw that many men were still in the conference room and it had degraded to a great degree, with lots of noise and loud voices. We all looked at each other, I stepped forward and all the ladies exited directly to the elevator, waited for me to enter and started pushing their floor buttons.

Two women were on one floor, I ask them all to stay together as I walked them to their rooms, some just close enough down the hallways to see that they got there safely, then bid them a good night!

Tammy was on the next floor, almost across from the elevator, so that was quick and easy.

That left Eve and I last to get to our floors, hers was above mine, but I insisted that I follow her up to her room before I went to mine. She raised a bit of a fuss, but admitted that I was just fulfilling my

Chaperone duties.

Her room was far from the elevator, down and turning through several hallways. She still said very little, her huff in the elevator being to most I heard from her all night. Finally she got to her room, I started to walk away, bidding her a good night. Then I hear a "DAMN" in her voice, I turned around a saw her trying the door card-key several times, still the door did not open.

I walked back and asked if I could help, it was no use the door would not open, she confirmed that it was her room. I told her to stay there and I walked back to the hotel phone by the elevator, called the front desk and explained the problem.

They apologized and told me that a bellboy would be up in 10-15 minutes with a replacement card, but he was busy with other duties. I said I was not, nor was my lady friend, waiting in the hallway for that long!! The desk clerk was flustered and hummed and hawed, I interrupted and told then to deliver the new card-key to my room instead, we would be waiting in there.

I walked back to Eve, quickly explained the trouble and my suggestion, instead of us waiting in the hallways. A shadow crossed her face, a darkness, but quickly, and she agreed, me being Chaperone and all... I back-stepped quickly and suggested that she could wait in my room, by herself, and I would go down and rush her new/replacement card-key then deliver it to her ASAP.

Her forehead creased down for a moment, but then she smiled again and stated that was too much work, we could wait in my room for the new card-key, it would be fine.

The elevator ride, seemed to take forever for a single floor as was the long walk, just down 4-doors to my room. I opened the door and stepped back allowing her to enter first.

As my room was a suite, upgraded if I wanted to have any private business meetings, or have to work on anything from the home office. Eve had several places to sit down, beside the beds. She seemed relieved, and less guarded, I offered her something to drink, she accepted a soda, which I opened and poured into a glass, the remaining part I drank myself.

I started to tell her about myself, into AVIONICS or airplane electronics, working on a new collision avoidance system, which could work on a single plane, or control 2-planes telling each one to fly in different directions to avoid colliding. Been with the company for just 5 years, liked it and hope to stay a long time.

Again all Eve did was smile, but said nothing... I rambled on... Grew up in Ohio, but moved to Florida for the job. Liked Florida, except for the hurricanes, so far rode one out inside the factory, as an emergency response team, freeing up any married people, so they could be at home with their families. I sat the next hurricane out in my apartment, second floor, but said that I never wanted to do that again.

Eve, questioned me about being unmarried, and serving in place of people with families.

Yea, not married, no girlfriends, too busy with work, besides after the second storm, being by myself, I did not like it and NO Children should have to go through that and worry where mommy or daddy was, that would be terrible.

Eve really smiled at that, but said nothing again... A knock at the door announced the arrival of her new card-key, I opened the door and got it for her from the bellboy, I slipped him a few dollars and he took off.

I turned around and almost fell over Eve, who was standing right behind me, I did not hear her approach. I stepped back and gave her the new key. I grabbed my key and walked out after her to the elevator, rode up to her floor, walked down to her room, stopping about halfway, verified that she got into her room, waved good night, turned back to my room.

The next few days were busy at the conference and training sessions, I saw the women at different times and locations, but never all at the same time, nor for long, we exchanges hello's, are you having fun or learning anything and goodbyes, quickly.

The next day was a scheduled trip to the local factory and engineering center for the company sponsoring the conference. As I signed up, I saw all the girls inline behind me. As I walked by I stopped, said Hi and asked if they desired my free chaperone services??? Several of the women spoke up and agreed, so we quickly planned on meeting in the coffee shop before the bus ride, so we could all be together.

The next day I made sure I was early getting into the coffee shop ready to take up my Chaperone duties. Next to arrive was Eve, surprising me a little. She was more talkative, animated, even outgoing to a degree. I asked if she was getting anything from the conference or training, she admitted that there was nothing really new or exciting coming from the materials, but agreed that you never knew when meeting someone would payoff in the future.

The other women slowly showed up over the next few minutes. I offered to pay for the coffees, but the girls refused saying they had to repay for my Chaperone services.

We gathered and boarded the bus together, the women all got seats together, as a single I was forced back toward the rear. The ride to the factory was just a few minutes and seeing the huge parking lots and multi-floor factory was impressive, biggest I had seen in a long time. We unloaded from the bus, the girls had stepped aside and waited for me, as they said in unison: our brave chaperone, I smiled and took up my position as rear guard.

The factory tour guides broke us up into smaller groups and took us into the buildings, where we saw a short video explaining safety issues, no photographs and the need to stay with our group. The guides took each group off in different directions, so we could see various areas across the factory at the same time, decreasing overall tour times.

The girls and I stayed together and began the tour, we all talked about what we saw within the factory, compared notes of what we had seen in other facilities, or how other companies had done similar activities.

Part of the tours was a short snack break about the middle of our walk around the factory. We were all sitting together, but not saying much to each other. Again Eve surprised me and started talking to me, but not about work, the factory or anything business related, wow??

I heard about where she lived, the Midwest, farm country, but she did not want to continue the family tradition, so her studies included electronics. She got into computers, but in this age computers were designing computers, less need for people or engineers. She lowered her head getting closer to me and whispers that the next phase was using non-programmed or un-specific processors, but several general purpose units with open controls, so each was free to function or work as needed to achieve the overall goal of the specific function, much like a human brain works, or Artificial Intelligence (AI). I had read some materials, studied some theory's but this seemed much simpler and easy to understand the way Eve, explained it. As this dawned on me, my face must have shown this understanding, as I looked over at Eve, she was really smiling at me.

We were interrupted by our tour guide, to proceed on the final part of the factory tour. Trouble was I was not thinking about the factory, the processes or business, but all about Eve.

The tour was finished we said are thanks to our guide and exited to the busses. All the girls and I got on the buss, but Tammy took a seat with some one else, so the other women slid into seats, leaving me sitting with Eve. On the way back to the hotel she started talking to me some more, she was single, never married, made a mistake with an in-work romance, but the guy was a real SOB, too advantage of her, then bragged all across the workplace. She was asked/forced to leave that job, took several months to live down a false reputation and find other employment. Actually it was a break, as this new job was more advanced, got her greater access to new technologies, professors and engineers considering or designing next generation AI systems.

I was told that her parents had passed on due to an accident. Her brother had taken over the farm, but had made her a small percentage co-owner to share in the profits, but also allowed her to invest some of her "extra" income back into the farm for the future.

I was overwhelmed with her change in attitude, coming out of her shell, best part was she was talking to me. At this point in time I had not recognized my attraction and fondness that I had for Eve, saying it simply that I was very happy.

Eve was talking some more, her education was completed in Germany as they offered more advanced programs. She was working with a group that was trying to develop the next level of general propose AI devices, which will be self-teaching to react to problems, new requirements and advanced planing. Best part of this was seeing the excitement on Eve's face, she was even jumping and swinging her hands around trying to explain everything to me.

This is the first time I had been able to look into Eve's eyes and they were beautiful, as was her face, not glamorous or movie star level, but fantastic natural healthy look, just sexy cute. I am also just now noticing her body, a little bit on the lean side, but again a wonderful natural look overall, but she does dress a bit plain, but that could be understood and in defense to her bad history from that SOB that took advantage of her. Wow she is a beautiful, friendly, technical professional that really had a lot going for her, as well as maybe liking me????!

We arrived back at the hotel, but I was hoping that the ride took longer, but not to be. As we unloaded from the bus, and I found the ladies waiting on Eve and myself. As we joined them they requested my chaperone services one last time, I said that I would be glad to help in any way and protect their virtues with my life if necessary. They told me that they were told about a fancy restaurant and said that would be best for our last night in town together. We all agreed that 7PM would be set for meeting in the lobby, then we would take taxi to the restaurant.

I rode with them up the elevator, letting each woman out on their specific floors to their rooms, but told me that they could get to their rooms without me, the security guard. I bid each goodbye till later and carried on until just Eve and I were on the elevator, we were both very quiet, when just a few minutes ago we were talking up a storm...

I rode up with Eve to her floor, let her walk out, with me holding the elevator open, when she got her door open she hollered down the hallways, GOODBYE. I let the elevator door close and went to my room.

I was restless, not tired, but unsettled and something was troubling me, but what I did not know? I went and took a shower hoping that would allow me to settle down, but it did not... I started packing my stuff for the trip back home tomorrow, not hard to do, just being a neat-freak I had a place for everything, and everything had to be in their place. I watched some of the local news and the weather, fingers crossed there was no bad weather I would have to fly through tomorrow.

When I checked my phone again I had to get ready for the girl's dinner and my chaperone duties tonight. I arrived just before 7PM and just one girl was missing, Tammy, but the other women told me she was not feeling good, so we should go without her for dinner. We walked on into the lobby and I asked the doorman to call us a taxi so we could go to dinner.

The restaurant was very nice, mid-range prices, the food was simple but tasted great, well worth the trip. Maybe being the last night of the conference the ladies really enjoyed the wine, really enjoyed it... As I don't drink much and hate flying with a hangover, I had a few dark beers. The wine and good food started getting stories being told. Seems like, as I have seen, there are few women in the Tech Sector, do they tend to stick together, these four just all met each other for the first time at this conference, but knew of each other through friends or other contacts.

Tammy and Sally were both married, only Sally had children. Judy was in a long-term or common-law marriage arrangement, all wished they were younger or prettier, this was bigger or that was flatter, my hair needs to be longer or shorter, darker or lighter in color, on and on and on...

I yelled a halt, and looked at each and every one of those women, and told them to shut-up, stop down-grading themselves, bad mouthing how this or that looked, I was rambling, so I stopped for a second, and stared at each one, telling them that they all looked great and any honest man would trade their soul to know any one of them... You are all, each and everyone of you beautiful, smart, intelligent and great looking women, doing something very special with your lives, making mine and your businesses, along with the world a better place! I would love to have any one of you as my partner in life!!