Office “Romance”

There aren’t too many “cool” young people at my office. I have a handful of friends at work but only 2 that I hang out with outside of work. One is Max, Laura’s boyfriend and the other we shall call SuperEngineer (he lives, eats and breathes engineering – but still manages to be a fun guy). Him and I usually attend work events solo and then end up hanging out because we both are there alone and well, we are friends. At this year’s holiday party we were both sans date again. We sat next to each other at dinner, at the same table as Max and Laura and another of the younger engineers and his wife. Rounding out the table was the head of our department and his wife. During the course of dinner, I overhear our department head, BigJon, make a comment to SuperEngineer – “So k is your date, huh?” SuperEngineer informs him that no, we are just friends and came separately but BigJon will have none of that. When SuperEngineer goes up to grab another drink, BigJon pipes in with “Aren’t you going to ask k if she need another drink?”

During dinner we had a discussion regarding college basketball and the matchup that day between Duke and Texas. The discussion turned to where the game was played and I piped up that it was played in New Jersey. SuperEngineer didn’t fully believe me, but it was Max who was adamant that I was wrong. (And I KNEW I was right because a friend of mine was at the game). On Monday morning I have several emails from BigJon and SuperEngineer waiting for me. BigJon looked up the game location and emailed myself and SuperEngineer (but not Max) to inform us that I was right – the game was held in New Jersey. SuperEngineer replies back to apologize for doubting me. BigJon then replies to that email stating that the gentlemanly thing for SuperEngineer to do would be to take me out for a holiday lunch since he doubted me. What?!? SuperEngineer writes two emails back – one to me and BigJon saying yes that would be the gentlemanly thing to do and one solely to me saying he doesn’t know what BigJon is up to (although I am certain he did realize what BigJon was up to, just not why). I replied that BigJon was working SuperEngineer too hard – true – and he didn’t have time to take lunch breaks. Later I saw BigJon in the hall and he commented on me declining the lunch invite, shaking his head like I was a silly girl.

Sweet, just what I always wanted! My 65 year old boss is trying to play matchmaker – it doesn’t get any better than that! And this is not the first time one of the big wigs has tried to play matchmaker. Last year someone mentioned suggestively that my senior project manager was single. OK #1 – he is my boss and #2 – he is my dad’s age. Are you serious?? (Yes, sadly he was.)

Three other people at the party also made mention of SuperEngineer and me. I appreciate that they asked instead of assumed but I don’t get it. It is not like I was glued to SuperEngineer’s hip all night. We don’t even work in the same office (it is a small company but we have two offices within 25 miles of each other) so it is not like we are seen together a lot during a typical day. Can’t I have male friends? I guess my coworkers are just so gossip starved that they have to make something out of nothing.