11 June 2012
Nick,
I am currently working in Bhutan and just finished your book. Loved it. Being one of those adventure types you so diligently described and having read a fair amount on Antarctica, it was refreshing to get behind the scenes. Ironically (or not) its caused me to want to go there and work as a garbageman.
But actually I’m writing because you left one item open ended. I found myself wanting to know the results of the tape measurement. You left us hanging (pun intended). Do tell 
[T]
Dear [T],
While our culture has seen fit to brand sexuality as a disease in the workplace, for reasons pragmatic and civil, there are yet rogues of all sexes who insist upon flirtation and salty banter as a soothing unguent to temporarily treat the musty bureaucratic conundrum.
My temperament as a gentleman of Victorian standards prevents a response to your crass inquiry, so I can only note that my female supervisor, who had required my technical specifications, gave me a 4 out of 5 stars on my employment evaluation.
As the allure of the open-ended is boundless, we must remain professional at all costs.
Your humble servant,
Nick
Humble servant,
I’m in a country where they paint erect penises on their homes for a religious reason, and even prior to coming here, I am quite aware that salty banter is not just soothing in a bureaucratic environment. Its the anti-facade we all secretly (or not) desire to defer to daily.
I’ll interpret your employment evaluation as the possibility that your female companions are enjoying themselves. And share that I’m hanging out with a Bhutanese man who would not get a 4 out of 5 on his overall evaluation but would get strong points in certain criteria. So be it.
[T]
