All This and a Bagel Too

All This and a Bagel Too

It’s Friday morning and I just about had the worst drive in to work. The snow was coming down hard. It looked more like the heavens had a fight with goose down pillows. The drivers that navigated this parking lot of metal and exhaust fumes were their usual reckless, selfish selves. It was rush hour in the twilight zone and I just got through it.

I shook off the cold and snow only to be met with frigid stares of angry people. The issue was the main server had a meltdown and no one could work. In addition to this there was a major proposal to go out so there was an immediate need for resolution. It looked like coffee would have to wait.

I rolled up my sleeves and went to work. It did not appear to be as bad as I thought and the server was up in no time at all. With a sigh of relief I worked my way over to get a cup of Joe. On the way back to my office, I foolishly attempted the traveling sip from my mug. It is something I know I should not do but the need for that wonderful bean called me and I foolishly replied. I was rewarded with a coffee stain running down the center of my shirt and a minor burn from the steamy nectar on my upper lip.

Finally my Friday morning nightmare was, hopefully, coming to its end. I made it back to my office, a little stained and slightly burned but otherwise whole. My email was open and there it was staring me in the face. At this point all the mornings’ problems took a back seat to this wonderful email; “The Friday Morning Bagel Poem.”

The story of how bagels came to be in our office is another story but it must be told so I will make it brief.

Our office is filled with all types of characters and most are good people and some are, well…. Most are good people. On every Friday the accountant group would bring in bagels and send an email out to let the office know there were bagels in their department. That was it. Short and simple but always appreciated. Through the years this went on without event until changes in the company brought on changes in the department and the bringer of the Friday bagels changed hands. It was not a good time and everyone was sad with the departure if this individual. The next Friday came and the torch was passed. It was not resounding; as a matter of fact, it was not very noticeable at all. The fact that bagels came on Friday was good enough for everyone.

This went on for a short time until one Friday when the email came with a short but sweet poem. If I told you I remembered the poem I would be misleading but I read it. I thought, obviously, the new “Bringer of the Bagels” was bored to tears. She must be, why else would she put this type of effort into such an ordinary event. I read it, smiled, got up and went down to accounting to grab myself a bagel. The next week it was business as usual until Friday came and so did another poem, another wonderful poem.

And so it started…..

With every Friday came the bagels but more importantly the introduction of another poem. This unselfish act of kindness and sharing to brighten up the mundane, monotony of this necessary evil called work. This went on and on and on. Each Friday I looked forward to these little presents of affection for life; these quick but powerful inspirations to brighten a day or help reflect. They came on holidays, rainy days, sunny days and more. They came regardless of how the Bagel Poet felt. Whether sick, tired, fed up or just plain angry; like the Post Office the Poem was delivered.

Naturally with every good thing comes resistance and the….. Did I say there where good people here? Well none of these good people asked to be removed from the email list. The others….Well…. Like I said, “There are good people here.”

There was discouragement and for the first time a poem did not come. This was unacceptable! No Poem?! How could that be? Why would that be? The reasoning came from the small group of… Well, it wasn’t from the good people.

Thankfully this did not last long and our hero of the story jumped right back into spreading her fantastic Beacon of Bagel Poems to all who would read. It caught on and at times when this “Bagel Poet Prophet” was in need of a much needed rest, her seeds of poetry spread as others joined to keep the legend going. Cementing her place in the company’s history and proving that this was the right thing to do.

There should be more people like this!

And to this day the Poems continue.

As I sit here with coffee stains on my shirt, a blistered upper lip and the memories of the worst travels in a long, long time, it all fades a way as trivial; for I have read another Bagel Poem and laughed out loud at a clever ending and hidden lessons from the Bagel Poet.

Imagine that? I received “All This and a Bagel Too!”



Dedicated to "cmboutelle" member of WDC and The Bagel Poet!