outnumbered

Working in the construction industry is a bit unusual when you're a girl.

I have yet to encounter another female, with the exception of the interior designer, on this painting job. It's not unnerving or weird, but it is interesting.

For instance, until people get to know me, I sense a slight reservation on their part to joke around too much. They appear to feel out the situation before giving out much teasing or abuse. There are the occasional comments of a sexual nature, although much of it has been pretty clean. None of that much offends me anyway. I suppose that puts some men at ease - that I'm not a prude and that I actually have a sense of humor. Just today, a plumber wanted to tell a joke and suggested that I leave the room. I assured him I would like to hear it, and indeed the joke, while not suitable for repeating here, was quite funny. I do think he was a little relieved that I laughed.

It has been an experience painting in the basement of a house that has one working toilet in a bathroom without a door. I can pretty much hear every little tinkle. It's a little weird. Often, one guy simply comes downstairs and yells out, "I'm going to the bathroom!" Not sure if he's trying to prepare me or make himself feel less uncomfortable. The other day another guy asked me if it was tough being on a job with all guys - especially considering the bathroom situation. I could hardly stifle my laughter as I told him I live in a one-bathroom house with FIVE other males, none of whom shut the door before doing their little pee-pee dances. (Okay, only the little ones do the dance.)

Men still are chivalrous, despite what you might see on television or anywhere else. I do not have to move heavy things out of my way or set up scaffolding to reach high places. The men on the job seem more than happy to flex their manly muscles and help me out. They also seem perfectly willing to let me use the little four-foot ladder, even if it might inconvenience them. I really should go buy my own. I do feel a little guilty about that.

The guys also seem to have no problem listening to many different kinds of music. One day it might be current country, the next it might be contemporary Christian, and they don't even seem to mind if I crank up the Refuge for Christian music with a bit of a wild(er) side. One of these days I might turn on a Spanish station, just to play with them.

I suppose in some ways this industry might be a good fit for me - I've always related to men better anyway and don't quite understand the mind games women can sometimes play. It's been a very comfortable environment for me, but part of that could be because at least four of the men that work on the painting, general construction and tile are all professing Christians. So, it stands to reason I would feel at ease with them and be able to have many, many interesting conversations ranging from baptism to false religion to marital bliss.

I should probably count my blessings. It would probably be completely different at another job site. At this one, they've adopted songs for everyone, for some reason they're all country. One guy's is "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. Another's is Montgomery Gentry's "What Do Ya Think About That?" For me, they've selected Josh Turner's "Firecracker." Actually they said that would be the song hubby would pick for me. Still not quite sure what to think of that one.

I guess even if I'm outnumbered, I still feel like "one of the guys."