Offshore Excursion, Part 1

I am employed by a private mid-sized oil and gas upstream company. I love the company for which I work. They are family-oriented, promote from within, and we play equally as hard as we work. We also are a fairly young company in terms of employee ages. I'd guess that the average of age is approximately 30-35. I'm a little bored with my day to day tasks, but I really have a good situation, so I don't complain. I've worked there six years and have had tremendous opportunities both professional and personal come my way. This last week was no exception.

A few years ago, we acquired some properties offshore. We've slowly built up our offshore portfolio. As a result, we have a few field offices in the Gulf of Mexico region. From Tuesday through Thursday, I flew to South Texas to train some new employees.

First day, the operations manager takes me to lunch. We B.S. about the company and swap some stories. Laugh.

Ops Mgr: So this is the first time you've EVER been allowed to travel to a field office??
Me: *nods yes*
Ops Mgr: *shakes head side to side and rolls his eyes*
Me: I did bring my boots though in case you were going to let me go out and see a well! *smile and giggle*
Ops Mgr: You did?! You've never even been on a field trip??
Me: Nope. Never.

We eat a little bit as it's quiet for a short time.

Ops Mgr: Do your boots have steel toes in 'em?
Me: *laughs* No! No...they don't. *laughs again*

We continue with our meal and just talk amongst each other. Once lunch is done, we drive back to the office so I can continue to train the new hires. About an hour later, the operations manger escorts one of the other company employees and introduces me to Charles.

Charles and I exchange handshakes and pleasantries.

Ops Mgr: Go to Academy tonight, Jackie. You're going offshore with Charles tomorrow.
Me: *holding back extreme glee* WHAT???!!!!
Ops Mgr: You need steel toes to be safety compliant. This is work related so you can expense them, too.

I'm smiling like a cheshire cat. I am doing all I can to contain my excitement and be cool.

Me: Well, COOL! How FUN! Thank you SO MUCH!!

We all go our separate ways and my mind begins to spin. Did I bring the right clothes? Tomorrow is my wedding anneversary....I hope I don't die.

As the day draws to a close, Ops Mgr invites me and Charles to his house to meet his wife and daughter. Charles and I oblige. Later we go eat at local joint that makes chicken fried steaks, pork chops, etc. I opt for salmon. Ops Mgr's wife gets a rock in her salad. And the waitress in a high-pitched mousy voice says (as she's walking away...), "Oh! I'm so sorry. Sorry 'bout that".

Hmmm....

I digress.

Charles, Ops Mgr and I discuss anything I might need to know about FLYING IN A HELICOPTER and the platform itself. Of course, safety is the first topic of conversation. Dinner wraps up and Charles and I drive to Academy to buy my steel toed shoes (which were kind of fashionable considering what they are... I mean, how fasionable can steel toes work shoes *be*??) I buy some socks because in my infitinite wisdom to pack boots in the first place, I had a hiccup in the brain and didn't bring socks. Duh.

I digress.

Back at the hotel, I prep my overnight bag for "just in case".

Rewind: In the car on the way to Academy, I ask Charles, "is there anything I need to know about tomorrow?" He explains a few things, one being, that I should pack a very light overnight bag "just in case".

Me: Just in case what??
C: In case you have to stay overnight. It's unpredictable out there. Anything could happen. It's not likely, but it's still possible.

(play foreshadowing music here)

Me: *gulp*
C: So gitchyer toothbrush and that kinda thang and you'll be jes fine.
Me: *nods*

Fast Forward (I always misspell forward. I always spell it foward instead of forward. Every time I have to backspace and retype it. Sheesh. I digress.) back to the hotel.

I've been given safety glasses, hardhat and now I have my shoes. I feel official.

I have a hard time sleeping because I'm so excited.

Part One is ending now. I'm sleepy. And hungry. And if I don't go to sleep now, I'll eat. And I don't want to eat.

Nite, nite.