Several years ago, immediately after college, I went to work on a North Sea oil rig as a macho right of passage, before settling into the real world. The life was mostly what it is portrayed to be: Hard work, long days, tough weather and larger than life, hairy-assed guys. There were no women on the rigs at that time; there are now, so I am told. Everything was very macho, and any hint of non-heterosexual tendency met with enough cruel treatment that the poor victims quit in disgrace. It happened to one guy I knew of. Someone broke into his locker and reputedly found a vibrator. They backed him a cake in the shape of a cock and balls, added wires, batteries and whipped cream, and presented it to him while he was eating dinner in a crowded mess-hall. The poor bastard never lived it down. And the subsequent teasing caused him to quit.
The work life was 14 days offshore working 12 hours a day, followed by 14 days R&R. The days-off were one long orgy of excess, drinking and chasing women. Aberdeen, Scotland, was an oil-boom town at the time, so men outnumbered women, and there was more chasing women than catching them going on. Drinking was a favourite hobby.
On night, about two days after coming ashore, I had been out drinking with my buddies. The bar closed and I was walking back to my apartment in the drizzling rain. It was a little bit after midnight, if I remember correctly. I stopped on my walk to look in the windows of a motorcycle store that I passed. There was a Ducati in the showroom that I lusted for badly.
As I was looking at the bike I became aware that someone was approaching. I turned my head, and saw a guy about my age walking towards me. There was only the two of us on the street. I felt no concern; I was young, strong from working on the rigs, thought of myself as about as macho as it is possible to be, and I was still a little bit drunk.
The stranger continued to approach, and when he was near enough he said, "Hey there, do you know any where I could get a cup of coffee around here?"
I answered, "Not at this time of night, pal. Maybe at the railway station down there, but other than that everywhere's closed."
"So, where are you going?" he asked.
"Home," I replied.
"Mmm," he said, "that sounds nice. Do you have any coffee there?"
I realized I had been propositioned. I thought for a minute, and the said, "You know, I should punch your lights out right now, shouldn't I?"
He looked a bit worried, and the apologized: "Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to piss you off, butβ¦β¦" He trailed off mid sentence.