Let me eat cake!

Talking at crossed purposes can be funny on stage. Or when you're watching a conversation take place that you're not directly involved in. But when it's you and you're at work, nay in a large meeting, talking at crossed purposes doesn't necessarily see the light of a giggle. It's someone's birthday at work thus there is cake. At 2 pm. My weekly meeting with my manager, her next manager and the design manager is also at 2 pm. This poses something of a problem for me as mid-afternoon is usually the time I need my sugar hit. What should I do? Ask to move the meeting back half an hour so I don't miss out on cake? Come late to the meeting with cake in hand? Come late to the meeting with cake in hand for all? Although the last one may have scored me brownie points (no pun intended) I decided to just calm down, stop being a fatty and let the idea of cake go. The meeting's about half way through and we've been discussing how frustrating it is when the other departments don't support one another and how we really need them to be backing us right now. My manager says she's going to pop upstairs and bring the spreadsheets back down with her, throwing in 'I'll see if there's any cake left while I'm there' with a bit of a wink. Oh sweet relief! All I have had on the brain is caramelised profiteroles with fresh cream and custard topped with wild forest berries (surely now you can see this isn't your everyday sponge I was fretting about). Once my manager is upstairs the design manager says 'oh I'm so glad someone was as worried about that as I was, I thought I was the only one!' Oh hello friend, I think. That is where that thought should have stayed, in the brain but instead I piped up and proclaim 'I know! I felt like shouting "Save me a slice piggy-wiggies, I've got a meeting to attend!' Silence. This is when it dawns on me that my design manager is not actually too concerned about voicing the fact that she may miss out on an afternoon sweetie, but more is relieved that my manager is on the same page as her regarding her opinion on the other departments. Gulp. I go strawberry in the face, feel like there's cream being whipped in my stomach and as if cashews have dried all the leftover syrup in my mouth!

That's nice isn't it?

Farewell Gateau St Honorè (and pride)...I'll catch you next birthday.

cactus.

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