I work in a small office with three other Googlers. That’s pretty typical around here; I don’t know of a single person that has their own office, though we’re always free to roam to a quieter place with our laptops and ubiquitous wireless access.
It’s also a delightfully multicultural office:
- One Croatian fellow.
- One Chinese guy.
- A Bulgarian guy.
- And me, the boring American.
We often will break up the day with little chats about cultural issues… food, linguistic confusion, traditions, etc. Today, though, our heads-down work was interrupted when P came in, sat down, and looked a bit concerned.
P: Something is wrong with my chair.
[silence]
P: Did someone change it? Something’s off.
Y: [taking notice] Hmm… my chair’s kind of funny today, too. Maybe someone took both our chairs?
P: It’s too low. This is strange. [pauses, looks out the door of the office, as if to catch the chair thief / chair transmogrifier]
Y: Mine’s kinda high. Doesn’t feel right.
Me: [finally paying attention] Um, guys. Maybe you just got each other’s chair?
[P looks at Y. Y looks at P. They swap chairs.]
[contented brief silence]
Y: Ah, mine’s the black one. That’s right!
P: Yeah, that’s better!
[shaking head]
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