Okay, this is creepy.

I learned a new expression this week: "work wife."

It's my first day here, and I'm having lunch with D, my peer and assigned tour guide for the day, who henceforth will be known as "work-husband." After the entree, as we linger over our sodas, he pops out with this expression, and says "have you ever heard of it?"

-- news to me, says I. What's it mean?

It's like your wife, he says, but just at the office. You share gossip about office politics that your real wife doesn't get, know all the inside jokes that would take hours to explain at home, get aspirin from her when you run out, have lunch together when your wife is a 40 minute commute away, and tell each other when you look tired or your hair is messed up or your tie is crooked or your strap is showing.

-- oh, says I. Really.

Yeah, and you met mine this morning, he says.

It turns out to be R, the "pretty capable girl" from the prior post who I just hired, and who henceforth will be known as work-wife. Not mine - his.

Since then I have observed them several times a day talking in each other's cubicles in hushed tones, and work-wife coming over to find out if work-husband is feeling better now after the aspirin he took from her, and going down to the caf for lunch together. At least they don't car pool!

Now, I thought to myself, am I just out of touch here? How long has this been a common expression? So, as I've been instructed to do by more than one 20something I know, I just "Googled it." (hmm.. should that be capitalized??) Very interesting results - to wit:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2109876/

http://men.style.com/gq/features/full?id=content_403

Hm.

I have to say that this seems creepy to me. But that may well be because I have a harder time than most people seeing relations between men and women as being strictly platonic. There is always a sexual tension between men and women, which makes those relationships interesting and fun.

Now I suppose there are certain personalities that can handle the sexual tension, and keep it in check, better than others can. Me, though... um... that would be no. Sexuality is waaaaay too much in the forefront of my makeup (yesss, even at my age. Give it a rest already.) to do platonic male/female relationships with any degree of closeness except under very clear circumstances. Like - with your relatives! :)

So, it makes me nervous to have this going on across the aisle between a peer and one of my staff. Especially when I know that if she and I have any disagreements as worker and boss, that she will go straight to him with it.

Hm.

Maybe I'm making way too much of it, but.. I still think it's creepy.