April Fools' Day gift

Sometimes you have to make a big effort to get your jollies 4/1 but other times they just fall in your lap as it were. The setting certainly had promise -- 'Sexual harrassment workshop' (really? just too wordy to call it 'sexual harrassment *prevention* workshop?') on April 1 -- but in a group of supervisors at an institution of higher learning the odds still seemed slim. But the odds hadn't met 'The Huggie Guy.'

A talkative fellow, The Huggie Guy was determined to work his wealth of life experience into the mostly didactic presentation on what supervisors need to do if sexual harrassment gets reported to them. He apparently knew the workshop facilitator (a woman) and said -- "See, I like what you did (Betty); you know I'm a Huggie Guy but when I came in here looking for a hug b/c that's how I am, I'm a Huggie Guy, you firmly extended your hand for a shake. I got the message though ... it worked. I knew what the boundaries were. But I'm still gonna get my hug before I leave!" {semi-muffled laughter erupts from the audience}

He wasn't through. A little while later, he was talking about having to sometimes compromise what you feel is right as a supervisor. He supervised at the DMV prior to his move to the university (nice promotion!). It was well known that one employee at a testing station "liked to adjust himself a lot. That's pretty normal though. He probably did it a little more than normal. But, you know, you ladies adjust yourselves too ... with the bras all the time [demonstrates adjusting bra straps] ... in any case, a lady worker didn't like all the adjusting and she said something." WELL... did he reform? inquiring minds wanted to know. "He adjusted himself less but *still* got fired," at which point the Huggy Guy pensively shook his head.

A woman at his table informed the group that she "swims with men with the speedos and whatnot. When they have to adjust themselves they just turn their back to me." Now that's what I call sexual harrassment prevention.