Picnic delights
Clear alternatives make for easy choices. Today, I had the chance to stay at my desk and work on through the lunch period (otherwise called “an ordinary day”) OR go outside and join in an office picnic. I threw off my antisocial shawl and found a folding chair.
Try to imagine us; fify plus office employees (where the average age is fifty plus, or closing) and an equal number of curious wasps. All went well until the buffet lunch was uncovered and the picnic began.
I used to believe that picnics involved baskets, bears and ants. Too narrow a focus. The hymenoptera of the area are busily preparing for winter, and a spread of sandwiches, cookies and various creamy dips was difficult to resist. For both parties.
So we chowed down and swatted like a band of merry dancers. No dignity here; the goal was to swallow without any added darts in the equation. Cover your pop can with one hand, wave wildly over the cold plate with the other and enjoy.
To our delight, no stings were received. We didn’t dilly-dally in the sunshine either. By the end of the hour, the parking lot had already returned to its ordinary use, and the fifty plus were back at their desks. Another school year begins.
Our building is under siege by “men with drills”, and the ability to concentrate on work is directly related to the deafness of any given individual. From time to time, even sticking fingers in your ears isn’t enough, as the floor vibrates from the percussion drills.
