Note: Names have been changed, obviously
When I was 22 I was about six months into my first corporate job when I was sent on my first business trip. I wasn’t loving the gig for a number of reasons, but my biggest gripe was that I was the most junior employee and the only young woman on my team and I was treated like dirt. I’m a natural people pleaser so I always bent over backwards to accommodate everyone, but my resentment towards the team was growing and I saw the business trip as an opportunity to prove my value.
Five of us were sent on the trip, including my boss’ boss, Bill. Bill was in his 40s or so, very tall, broad-shouldered, deep-voiced, well-dressed, and much more put together than the rest of the team. He carried himself with a quiet confidence that garnered instant respect from everyone around him. But despite his composedness I could sense that he was nervous around me. He avoided interacting with me one-on-one, and I could feel him staring at me whenever we were near each other. Even when we were in client meetings together I caught him taking constant passing glances, which turned into full-on stares whenever my ass was within his view.