(It’s already 5 am here and still I am wide awake… I hope after writing this cobweb on my head I will be able to finally sleep…. I was supposed to be resting since I am on vacation from work… but where are you sleep??? … don’t you pity me??? please visit me.. come on now, sleep… come to me...)
I was 22 years old when I got my first out of town project. It is the first construction team I have handled as a Project Engineer in job site. I was so excited and nervous at the same time coz I know handling that team will be a great challenge for me. And making a bunch of hardheaded and self opinionated man to follow me and respect my decisions will not be an easy job for me. The first 4 weeks of my stay at the job site was not in any way easy. It feels like I am struggling for power and respect against my Foreman all the time. It is hard work that made me earned it from him and from other men. There are still few who have tried to test my knowledge on our work and try to test my courage for being the only girl in our job site. But I remain decisive to show them I am worthy of their respect and though I don't know more than they do but still there are things that I know which they don't know. Later on, working with them while learning more is a great experience for me.
Work were going well but my Manager seems to be having problem on his finances which makes his visit at our job site less. This affects our salary flow. There were times that he will just sent one of his staff from office to give only half of our payroll cost. Explaining this things to hardworking men who expect their salary to bring home after a week of being away from their family is a tough job. Some men started to have night vices such as drinking in the nearest pub house. And men when sober with alcohol become unruly and even sometimes forget themselves.
One occassion proves that alcohol will not bring anything good in human when taken in excess happened. It was around 2 a.m. when one men knocks on my room waking me up coz two of our workers were fighting and the other one is holding a knife. I had second thought if I will go out of my room and try to mediate in their fight which being their Engineer is my duty or just remain on my room and let them kill each other.
Honestly, It is the first time I have encounter men like that. I have grew up in a too sheltered life that I did not seen the harshness of the world except in television. I was afraid to go out and put a mask that i am brave coz I am not in any way brave. My father is always there to keep us safe all the time. But the man who calls me are still waiting outside my door so I have no choice but to hurriedly change from my sleeping wear and go out to them.
I am barely breathing when I shouted to the two men fighting and to other men who is just watching them fight "Aren't you men no shame? Waking me up in this time just to mediate in all this foolishness. All of you go back to your barracks and tomorrow i will see you all again". I sound tough, right? But deep within me, a turmoil is running inside my mind. What if this two men put their anger on me instead. Will this be the last time I will wake up? I am crossing my fingers while saying those words and praying to God that nobody will argue on me coz I really dont know what to do next. It took ten seconds before one man turn around and start walking back to their barracks. Other men immediately followed him. That ten seconds seems like a lifetime for me. It is the longest ten seconds anybody could have. And the most expensive ten seconds too coz it have save my life.
The following morning, I have to be tough again coz I have to let my 2 men go. I don't want to be the reason for them to be jobless but I want to keep other people safe too. And eversince we have started working at that jobsite, they all know my rules. Drinking alcohol is a big No-No. Last night could have ended worst and I couldn't bear another scene like that on my jobsite or they might not bear on me on the next time I interrupt on their fight, then I will be dead.
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