Work Boyfriends

The topic last week was work boyfriends…no…not boyfriends who work, or boyfriends that do work—boyfriends at work. When I called late Sunday evening, it was almost too late. My friend has one of her friends over and they have already been talking about boys.

I’m cleaning my house like mad, trying to get it ready for the renters arriving on Wednesday. Steve and Ana are painting trim and finishing off the bedroom. I take the phone to the other end of the house and start on the laundry room.

So? I ask. What’s up?

She’s giggly and admits there’s already been a conversation and a bottle of wine and I just wish I’d been there myself.

Work boyfriends. They were talking about boyfriends at work. The pros. The cons. The possibilities. Guys–you know who I’m talking about. You’re the guy at work we talk to, flirt with, spend our working hours thinking about…then…then we go home. And life goes on. Some of us have husbands or partners at home. Some of us don’t. I guess you could call us your work girlfriends.

Somebody I knew once said: “I don’t care where he gets his appetite. As long as he eats at home!” I have seen different perspectives. I have personally experienced different perspectives. I don’t have an answer to that. I guess whatever works for each individual.

So, the topic was: If you have a boyfriend at work, do you let your colleagues know about it? We’re just going to stick with a safe topic and assume that both parties are not attached to a separate third party. (That topic came up too. And I can only say that if you decide to get involved with another person who already has a significant other, know exactly – EXACTLY—what you’re getting yourself into. Be prepared for heartache, heartbreak, and disappointment.)

So. Do you let your colleagues know? We all decided it would be better for the relationship if you didn’t let them know. There’s somehow more excitement in your clandestine activities. However, I pointed out: Your colleagues will figure it out—eventually. They’re not blind.

We talked about what was attractive to us. Her friend is attracted to guys with degrees and higher education. My friend swears by the pheromones. Me—add an accent to that mix, and some witty banter, and well—we all agreed that if you had that combination—and you worked with us, you would likely become our work boyfriend.

They both had been flirting that week. I asked how that worked for them.

My friend scored some nookey.