Friday night fever

Time: Friday night
Location: A nightclub in London
Cast: Co-workers

As I made my way across the dance floor, and slipped past a few co-workers, I blinked: there was a male colleague with his jeans unzipped to reveal a pair of blue checkered boxers. I looked up. It was a colleague that I had never spoken to before. But I raised my eyebrows questioningly and threw him a quizzical look, only to have him smile back at me good-naturedly.

Somewhat bewildered but extremely amused, I laughingly put it down to Italian craziness.

A while later, I come across another male co-worker in the process of zipping up his jeans, right in the middle of the dance floor.

Two in a row was too much for my curiosity, so I asked a female colleague: "What's up with all this underwear flashing?"

She was shaking her head and smiling when she said: "Ohh nooooo... it's much worse than underwear flashing. [gesturing] Those three are comparing to see who is more shaven [points] down there. [pointing at one guy] He's the winner."

I looked up the the guy she pointed at, who had an easy smile on his face. I shook my head, covered my ears, and laughing replied: "That's too much information!" and walked away, entirely amazed, but in a good, funny way.

I can't believe the things I'm hearing and witnessing. Just two weeks ago, I might have been flabbergasted and scandalised by such shocking behaviour. But now, I just think it's crazy hilarious. I have to bow down to the genius of their inventive wackiness.

Who would have thought that I'd be working with such a bunch of clowns? I have to shake my head and laugh every time I think of it. But right now I'm glad I'm going to spend my long long hours in the company of people who know how to have fun.

A couple of weeks ago, I was scandalised at the behaviour of some co-workers at a club. But since then I've realised that there was a reason behind it. The girl involved had just broken up with her boyfriend, and presumably was in some kind of weird rebound warped zone.

This time round, I saw many guys just dicking around with each other, dancing pseudo-provocatively with fellow males in a joking manner. So I'm beginning to realise that it's all just good-natured fun and games with them. Because I know these guys are 100% straight. They are merely confident of their sexuality, and very much just boys having a laugh.

Also, I'm beginning to realise that many of these folks are really decent guys (and girls too). My comfort zone of acceptable behaviour was just somewhat narrower than some of theirs. But with time, interaction, and observation, I'm seeing that there is diversity in the values, and social behaviour of those brought up in the West too, and I'm less label behaviours as scandalous, or to feel a cultural gap between me and me other colleagues.

I did however, ask a co-worker today, if the semi-flashing behaviour was a common occurrence here in the UK. He was like: "No. Erm... well sometimes... maybe... hmmm.. nah not really. No." So apparently such behaviour is still considered outrageous here.

All in all, it was an interesting night. I almost can't wait for the weekend, to see what new stories another Friday night will bring.