Lunch time in a trailer

Lunch break provides time to eat, rest from our activity, and provides time to socialize.  People sit together and talk and joke as they eat their lunch.  Lunchtime conversations can get quite involved, and boisterous.  They might be quiet and reserved.  It all depends on the people who are sitting together.

Some people go for a stroll, or a brisk walk after eating.  Others sit quietly and read or do a crossword puzzle.  I know some people who like to gulp their meal and then have a 20 minute nap.

I usually sit with the rest of the crew in the designated eating area – it is often a trailer, but it could be a lunch room, a mess with a kitchen, a coffee shop or restaurant, even just a handy seat outside if the weather is good.  Working in many different worksites and industries provides variety.

I usually enjoy the conversations with the various co-workers I find myself with.  The different characters, their interests and problems and jokes always cause me to marvel at the diversity of the crew.  Most people I have met are decent, considerate people.

The discussions are varied. Sometimes I join in, other times the topics are subjects I’m not interested in, such as sports, and I have nothing to contribute. Then sometimes there are men who like to brag about their conquests, or tell tales of how badly their ex-wives treated them, or joke about dumb things their wives/girlfriends have done.  If I’m on a job where this happens a lot, I'll often end up just bringing a book or newspaper in to read.  At some jobs I read more than at others.

Sometimes I suspect that the men feel restricted in their conversations by my being there, and it makes them uncomfortable, and careful of what they say. Especially when it’s a large crew.

It’s easy to feel the odd one out. 

I imagine how different it would be in a more traditional workplace, where I would sit with women.  What would the conversations be like?  What would we talk about?  Would it be easy and pleasant, or would there be power struggles and politics? I imagine myself talking and laughing with other women, though I know that this would quite possibly not be the case.  I'm not used to working with many women, not used to the ways of female conversations.  I have heard many stories of all-women workplaces, and how they can be difficult to deal with.  I'm not sure how well I would fit in.