Had dinner last night with an ex-boss, and 2 current co-workers. The three of us had reported to the boss a few years ago, and since we were all in town, decided to catch up over cocktails and Italian food. Business dinners, for me, mean being the ONLY one who asks where the ladies room is, who understands that there’s more on the menu than steak, and who doesn’t drool if the waitress is a hotfessional herself.

We talked business - mostly about resignations and retirements; the current state of our parent company and their (in our opinion) lack of concern over their responsibility to shareholders and the way the managing board members seem to be way more interested in their own financial statements than employee welfare or customer satisfaction. We’ve all been affected recently by the sale of parts of the company we work for, and are trying to figure out what is best for our careers and families. As the primary wage earners we figure that with the current state of affairs, we’d better get our resumes up to date and get those executive recruiters numbers back into our Blackberrys.

Then, of course, a woman in a white, low-cut blouse was seated at the table next to us. Suddenly, I was sitting with the Sr. Management bobble-head team. It only got worse when her friend joined her. The testosterone cloud settled over the table.

Some may think that I would become offended. Naw. I’ve decided that it’s actually pretty amusing to watch these guys. Since I was sitting in a position where I had the best view (no bobbling necessary, I could just be looking around at the decor), I took the opportunity to tell them that the women were together. On a date. This, I knew, would fuel their fire since 96% of American men claim that being with 2 women is their hottest fantasy. (Mr. Hot claims its not his, but I bet if I were to meet up with Angelina there’d be no keeping him out of that!)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after 9 years of being one of the only females in this management group - (and I will say that these are the greatest group of guys I’ve known) - women can bitch about the double entendres and the snickering all they want, but if we’re honest with ourselves, there are very few of us who wouldn’t like that kind of attention. DO NOT read this as condoning sexual harrassment. I believe that if something makes you uncomfortable and you make an attempt to request the harasser to stop, then you are well within your right to take legal action to protect yourself. If that doesn’t work, then you’re within your right to punch him in the gut

—- But if we believe in true friendship among the sexes, then there’s no harm/no foul in open worshipping at the altar of Hotness that is all around us, even in mixed company. —-