Little Bits of Joy

Last night I had a little bit of joy. It started with the Manager Cook Day. We made the pizza for dinner. What I've found around here is that if you have a task to do with a bunch of people, eventually everyone ends up laughing. These are funny folks. I was in charge of putting sauce on all 80 pizzas. It took about an hour and a half. I was working with the logistics manager, the winter site manager, the HR guy, the waste supervisor, the comms supervisor . . . and we just listened to loud music, worked hard and laughed. It was fun.

After I got done with that, I went over to the carp shop foreman's room and drank beer with boys. I love boys. The super sexy carpenter was there. As the afternoon progressed, the girls showed up as well, and I didn't feel like a dork and I didn't feel like anyone was being uncomfortable because of me. I actually felt very welcome . . . and it was fun. I totally skipped dinner, which turned out ok.

At 7:45 p.m. we all went up to bingo in the galley. The place was packed with people. I've never seen so many people there for bingo. I dropped off my beer at the table of carp shop folks, and got in line to buy cards. There were probably 80 people there. The place was quivering with excitement, and loud voices and lots of alcohol. Lots of drinking. I sat next to a nice guy from IceCube. We cheered for the winners and laughed and heckled. One of the cooks came around with a huge bowl of popcorn for everyone . . . best popcorn I have ever tasted.

During the night I would look up from my cards and watch. Everyone there was laughing. The whole room was laughing. Not self conscious. Not forcing fun. Just honestly and privately having a great time. This large collection of groups, each with their own, laughing and playing bingo, and kindly heckling each other. Down at the far end of the room, by the dish pit, stood one of the NSF design team guys and the station director . . . just watching the crowd . . . and they were laughing, too. It was quite a scene.

After the games were over, folks stayed around and talked and laughed some more. At one point one of the dining attendants was up on a table, wiggling away, to which the sexy carpenter responded . . . he climbed up on our table and started table dancing right back at her. It was so light hearted and joyful, it wasn't creepy. Just big and happy and harmless.

When I left to go the bathroom, I realized how drunk I was and just headed home to bed. I guess I missed the real dance party of it. But that's ok. The little bit of joy I had was enough to make me not feel all that hung over today.