So Glad...

I told TL that I needed the day, uninterrupted, to write, and he actually agreed – he was very good about it, really. So hurrah for that. I’m waiting on some maps and data, but apart from that, it’s in good shape. Finally. Now I can start helping S on some of the other things she’s working on – and of course taking on the responsibilities of my “new” role… Overall, it’s been a good day. What’s more, we’re all committed to going to the gym tonight for a little exercise, so that’s good. I’ve been doing Pilates in my room every other day, which has been really fun, actually, but I need to move a little more than that. So I think it’s time to put some Foo Fighters in my CD-player (yes, I’m the last person on earth without an iPod, but I really don’t care), head down to the Ladies’ Gym, and go to town. S is going swimming, the brave girl. She said that the last time she went, there were men camped out there, staring at her – which is exactly why I didn’t bring my swimsuit. It made her quite uncomfortable, which I can understand, having been the object of some fascination for the pool boys at the Karachi American School myself, but I think she’s going to go anyway.

Turns out S didn’t end up going swimming – too uncomfortable. I can’t say I blame her at all. I made it down to the gym and did a combination of walking and running. I was pretty disappointed, since I was walking partially because my knee was still a little tender, but mostly because I haven’t run in so long that I’m feeling out of shape. It’s okay, though – the good thing about that is that it’s easy enough to change, I just need to get off my rear end on a consistent basis.

The best part of my day, by far, happened as we were getting ready to leave the office. I had gotten a phone call at about 2 am last night, and got another one this evening. Fortunately, TL was around, so I called him over and put him on the phone. To give you an idea of this scenario, TL has a booming and imposing voice, which he can really use to great effect if he’s so inclined. Given that the only voice this guy had ever heard on the phone was mine, this must have represented quite a change, especially since TL, who is French, is of Middle Eastern origins and is therefore fluent in Arabic. I would imagine he was startled, because he hung up. TL then decided to call him back, courtesy of caller ID, and tell him, in detail, what was inappropriate about his behavior. Or, as he would say, “I shooted on him.” I think this must be a European phrase of some sort, as both TL, who is French, and Franz, who is German, will both talk about “shooting on” someone. It makes me think of The Princess Bride. “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

In any case, TL said that if he calls again, he’ll just pass his telephone number on to the police. I believe he told Creepy McCreeperson, my caller, the very same tidbit of information. For all his occasionally ill-timed loquaciousness, TL is, if I haven’t mentioned it before, a very good and decent sort of man, and a nice guy as well – so he’s good to have around much more often than not. He also appears to think highly of me, which is part of the reason why he gets so chatty with me. He’s “passing down his wisdom.”

But I think it’s because he, or someone in my company, is assuming that I want to be a Team Leader on these sorts of projects. Ah…that would be the big flaw in their logic.