Work related awkward/embarrasing/rare situation 1

[l3city]

He fellas, what is the most rare and strange/awkward situation you have encountered at work (and personal if you would like to share it)?
For example, talking with your co-engineer about a design issue/problem while sitting at the toilet (ya'know). Or coming by surprise to your bosses' office and hearing or seeing something you rather not see.
Jaja, how you deal with this situations??
Any input is well welcomed..
regards

 

[kontiki99]

The story that comes to mind would be inapropriate for a mixed professional group.

 

[MadMango]

Most of the awkward situations I have been in is during a meeting with outside personnel. Usually I am surrounded by Marketing and Sales people, and I will let them promise the world to whoever they want to promise it to. I know I can make them see the light after the meeting, or once things actually start moving on a real project. But there have been times when someone will forget that I work in Engineering, and will ask, "MaddMango, what do you think?"

I can instantly see the cringes on the faces of others that know me, since they brace for my responses. They are never responses that Marketing or Sales types like to hear. I'll keep on giving those honest, reality-check type responses until I can find a vendor that actually carries unobtainium.

[green]"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."[/green]
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
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[ivymike]

Or coming by surprise to your bosses' office and hearing or seeing something you rather not see.
Jaja, how you deal with this situations??

I once walked into a refrigeration unit to find my boss engaged in "physical activities" with a coworker of the opposite sex. They paused, he looked over his shoulder and yelled at me to get out, and I did. Later on he pulled me aside for a serious discussion - and strongly advised me not to tell his wife. I didn't tell her, and never mentioned the subject again. I didn't spend a long time in that job.

 

[Latexman]

I was on a job interview with Alcoa in Bauxite, Arkansas in late 1978 or early 1979. It was cold and some snow remained on the ground. An Alcoa engineer and I was touring the plant. We turned a corner behind a building and there were 4-5 of the operators and/or maintenance folks passing a joint around. They quickly dispersed and I was led the other way!

Good luck,
Latexman

 

[JAE]

In a previous firm, there was a male draftsman (pre-CADD days) who, well...like to dress up in women's clothing. He never did it at work or otherwise, we knew about this because he'd occasionally speak about it and also had a keychain hanging from his hip with his red-dress picture on it.

Anyways, after some time he was laid off during a slow period. We were in the process of hiring a high level Civil Engineer who was being escorted around the office to show her the place. Our president, VP, and the CE engineer were coming around the corner to my area just moments after I'd been shocked at seeing our long departed drafstman come walking by in heels, wig, and red dress, grinning ear to ear and just cruising around saying HI to all the guys.

Someone whispered in the president's ear what was going on and I never saw him run so fast across the room to intercept and kick out the wayward ex-employee. The CE candidate looked around suspiciously and asked, "What's going on?" The VP stammered a bit but then came out and told her the situation. She did accept the position despite the awkward situation.

 

[EddyC]

JAE,

Most folks think that a "Tranny" is the thing next to their car's engine. Looks like you used to work with the more modern kind!

 

[JAE]

Another story - not so awkward, but funny.

An engineer in our firm who was somewhat elderly - started his career in 1947 - went to the men's room one day. After a short period of time, we all heard a loud crash from withing the restroom. After rushing in to see what had happened, we found him getting up off the floor - water everywhere.

It seems the wall-mounted toilet on which he was sitting lost its connection to the wall and came crashing to the floor, breaking the porcelain stool and spilling ...debris...all over. He was a mess, and quite upset.

 

[FACS]

EddyC,
A "tranny" and a cross dresser are not the same thing.

Charlie

http://www.facsco.com

 

[ivymike]

doesn't "transvestite" mean one who cross-dresses?

 

[HgTX]

Yes, but "tranny" is more often "transsexual".

One of our cantilever toilets has now been propped from beneath with a bolt from the floor topped with a steel plate.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[casseopeia]

'Tranny', also not to be confused with Drag Queen (male homosexual that dresses in women’s clothing) or Dairy Queen (male homosexual and in-progress-transsexual that has breast implants)

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[ewh]

A drag queen need not necessarily be a homosexual. There are many heterosexual men who get turned on wearing women's clothing, but would never think of having a homosexual relationship. So says Dear Abby...

 

[KENAT]

So, I wasn’t going to go there because doing so is really difficult without sounding like an intolerant bigot (which I may be but am trying not to be) but as you all started it………

At my last place they hired a contractor for a few months to work on a specific job. This contractor was in the process of a sex change, going from anatomically male to female. Dressed as a woman, as I recall took female hormones and while with us had surgery on their vocal chords but hadn’t had the ‘main’ operation done yet.

So the first incident that my colleagues at the time found hilarious was:

The contractor liked to work out after work and would change before leaving. Outfit of choice was a very tight Pink Leotard.

The first time they decided to change at work I happened to be working a little late and was intently concentrating on my monitor. I noticed someone walk behind me but didn’t immediately realize who.

They started talking to me, I talked for a while without turning round when I did turn around I was confronted with the shocking (as in bright) pink leotard.

What made it bad was the fact that they were rather tall (6'4" ish) so being sat down my eyes were at approximately waist level if you catch my drift.

I immediately looked up to look them in the face but on the way passed the chest region.

I found it difficult to maintain the conversation after that, especially due to the fact that they always seemed to be flirting. Now my guess is they weren’t as I’m sure male or female they had better taste than to be interested in me so it was probably my own ingrained prejudice but it was certainly awkward.

Depending how this story goes down I may post part 2.

 

[ivymike]

well, at least it wasn't AFTER working out.

 

[casseopeia]

ewh, around here in the SF BAY AREA, the term ‘queen’ is reserved for a gay man, usually a particularly flamboyant one. A straight male who likes to wear women’s clothing is a crossdresser. But don’t believe me, here’s another source. It has a lot of the terms I hear, but I didn’t see a few of others such as nellie and Starina, both derogatory terms; or drag diva for an admired drag icon of any gender or sexual persuasion.

http://geekbabe.com/annie/feature/gloss.html

KENAT, It seems a bit unfair to you by the in-progress trannie to flaunt his stuff without warning. Sounds like he was hoping to provoke a reaction from you. Personally I'd love to know how your story ends.



"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[l3city]

Good input here fellas!!, keep the hard work (at least in eng-tips though, jeje) Don't be shy..you are not alone.Regards

 

[ewh]

I stumbled on the semantics...

 

[KENAT]

Don’t have time for the other story right now but:

Whilst that contractor was there a story/joke circulated the building.

Conversation between Company Secretary (in charge of HR) and another Director:

Company Secretary. “Some of the female staff have complained about the contractor using the women’s toilet”

Director: “What they don’t like a Transsexual using their bathroom? Isn’t that a little un PC”

Company Secretary. “No, they’re just tired of the seat being left up!”

 

[sms]

I called my boss's boss on his cell phone one time and had a long conversation about a number of pressing business items. After completing the conversation, I went to use the restroom. As I walked in the restroom guess who was coming out of the stall.

I told him that my call could have waited till he finished his business.....

-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!