Today, as I was walking down the hall (not to the printer this time, imagine that), I was caught in an enormous, endless yawn. You know, one of those during which you actually have time to wonder at how long the yawn is going on, contemplate whether there is a record for the world's longest yawn and whether you're now in the running. Or maybe that's just me. In any case...down the hall from the other direction comes a woman in my department who I don't know very well at all, and I knew, just knew she'd comment on the yawn. Like "Are we keeping you up?" or "It's almost noon. Time to wake up." And yep, she did. "Wake up, girl."
Okay, while I understand the jokey nature in which this was intended, I'm flummoxed as to what to say in return or why people feel the need to say something in this circumstance. If I knew the person well, I might say something jokey to them, enticing them to say something funny back. But I don't know this person and I don't know what to say. My first temptation is to say something like, "Sorry. It's these prejudiced work hours here at Corporate America. I'm a night person. Expecting me to be alert and functioning before noon is discriminatory. I'm thinking of filing a suit." This would likely elicit a strange look and a frown.
A similar thing happens to me when I go to take all my water bottles to the recycle can in the vending machine room. I buy bottled water but refill the bottle (in a sanitary fashion, I assure you, from the fountain or water cooler in the department). So, I hang on to the bottle at my desk for the next day's use. Occasionally, I forget and buy a new bottle and/or the old bottle has old water in it and I don't have anywhere to dump it at the moment, so it sits for a few days. So, when I go to the recycle can, I usually have anywhere from four to five water bottles. Inevitably, someone who I don't know will comment on this activity. "Boy, somebody was thirsty today."
Arrrgh.
"Yes, I was very thirsty today. I drank five 20 oz. bottles of water today, all at once. Hear that? It's the sound of my kidneys exploding."
I do understand it's someone's way of being funny, and certain people can say things like that to me and it's totally fine. Usually I know them and appreciate their jovial nature. But from people I don't know, it just throws me.
And yes, this entry is making me seem like some kind of evil-tempered grouch, which I'm not. Really. These kind of encounters just leave me feel all squeamy inside.
*sigh* I'm weird, aren't I?
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1 comment:
Stace,
Just had to say -- this entry totally made me think of Office Space, and the line "Looks like someone has a case of the Mondays." There's always someone like that in every workplace (or in large companies, at least one person like that for every so many square feet)...someone who has to make the type of corny remark that, in the "real" world, would likely get them beat up or laughed at, but in corporate america it's somehow acceptable.
Now...let's talk about those TPS reports...and don't even get me started about the staplers... ;)
Stac
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