This evening was the first meeting of the Women in Leadership club here at Haas. It was a social event, with drinks and nibbles, and partners were warmly invited. I was very happy to go along as Hannah's trophy husband.
When I arrived it slowly dawned on me that I had misunderstood. The evening was open to female partners of male students. I was the only man there, surrounded by sixty of the cream of female business leadership, people who will one day employ me as a nanny.
I tried not to be intimidated, and consoled myself that as well as being the most male person in the room I was also the tallest. I hung around the drinks table remembering that, miraculously, chatting with strangers becomes easier after several glasses of wine. Amazingly I found someone who was cricket-mad, and claims there are enough like-minded people at the business school for her to start a team. We shall see.
Feeling slightly more relaxed I wandered out onto the patio and leaned against a tree while chatting to Amanda (who I know, so isn't scary). Unfortunately the tree turned out to be the main commuter route for garden ants, and after several minutes of fidgeting I realised that I had become their new bypass and was covered from head to foot.
I briefly considered removing all my clothes and running around the lawn screaming until someone hosed me down, but with two years left in Berkeley I knew I could do without being that-guy-who-ran-around-naked-at-the-Women-in-Leadership-social. I itched, scratched and brushed myself for the rest of the evening, which probably endeared me to everyone I spoke with.
Eventually another man turned up so I went and shook his hand. "It's like a dream," he said. I wasn't so sure, but I got a hug from the hostess at the end and a thank you for "being a sport". Next time I'll be staying at home and doing the housework.
