There's a woman at work who brings in bagels or pastries sometimes. Not on a regular basis, so people don't start expecting her to do it, just whenever the mood strikes her. We like it when the mood strikes.
But I've noticed that "last bagel" (or donut or pastry) phenomenon over the years. It happens at other places too. There are some people who can't bring themselves to take the last one.
So they cut it in half and leave half for someone else. And there are enough of these people that the remaining half gets cut in half or has a small slice taken off, so the last piece keeps getting incrementally smaller until someone finally nabs the pitiful remains and finishes the job.
I'm not sure what it is about these last-cutting people. They think nothing of taking a whole bagel when they're the first to get to the surprise stash. They find a knife and slice the bagel and drop it in the toaster while they decide whether they should use the regular cream cheese or try one of the flavored spreads on both sides of that bagel. But when it's the last one, they're different people entirely.
Are there mothers who drum into their children that it's not polite to take the last one? Are there greedy fathers who get their hearts set on the last slice of pumpkin pie, and then make the child who nabbed it first feel guilty for being so greedy? What kind of complex are parents passing on to their children that makes them live their adult lives afraid to take the last donut?
I don't get it. My parents weren't that unkind to me. If the last one is sitting there--provided it's calling my name--I take it. The whole thing. And I don't feel guilty.
7 comments:
So the real question is...was this "last one" calling your name, and if so, did you take it?
Christina,
No, it wasn't, so I watched it shrink. It was one of those cinnamon ones with raisins in it, and I'm not partial to those. I like my bagels with all the seeds and garlic and onions all over the top. Toasted. With regular or garlic-flavored cream cheese. But those were already gone when I got to work.
Ahh, I see. Now of course, it occurs to me that we would make perfect office mates. You would eat all the "seedy" bagels and I would eat the cinnamon raisin ones quite happily. (I had the latter variety this morning, as a matter of fact!)
Better luck next time...
But, Christina, would you take the last one, or would you cut it in half?
Off the subject of bagels...
Skyepuppy, you're the best. I loved the way you "disembowelled" Grey Wolf, although I doubt that he is bright enough to realize it. Could you believe that site?
Anyway thanks for backing me up. I could tell you had a good time doing it.
P.S. You may be up for a nomination yourself.
Chris,
I had a fabulous time! I even got some work done in between.
Of course, that means I'll be here until way after dark finishing all the work I need to get done, but that's my own fault this time. But it was worth it, because I had a fabulous time!
Thanks for sending me over there for some fun...
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