Magic Land

I check my email at work.

“Morning tea is at 10:30am today. Knock yourselves out with muffins and Danish!”

I can barely breathe for excitement. I want to throw the windows open and sing out the wonderful news at the top of my voice. I want to dance down the hallway to celebrate my joy. Free food! Free food! Can anything be more magical than this?

10.30 seems too far away. My colleague tries to engage me in a discussion about some experiment results but my mind keeps wandering.

“Are you even listening?”

I crash back down from Magic Land as my chocolate éclair orgy is interrupted. “Yes, yes I am,” I lie guiltily as I try to convey the impression that I have been busy performing complicated statistical calculations in my head.

“You’re still thinking about morning tea, aren’t you?”

Boo! I am too transparent! But how can I be expected to work when mountains and mountains of yummy treats are probably being laid out next door at this very moment?

The clock ticks on slowly until it finally, finally hits 10.30. I wrench the door open only to find my boss already standing there with a plate heaped high with food. “Here you go,” he says as he hands the plate over. “Lots more in the staff room if you want seconds.”

Why does everyone here think that I’m a greedy guts? I may be one but I didn’t think it was that obvious. I cram pastry after pastry into my mouth as I try to think of any instances which might have clued them in.

All too soon, the plate is empty. I really should get back to work now, but it feels like there’s still something missing. I have only eaten one chocolate danish but I know that I have space for at least two. Who am I to argue with my stomach?

I tiptoe to the staff room and peek in. I do not see my boss! I saunter casually in, whistling innocently as I pretend that I haven’t eaten anything yet and that I’m really not a greedy guts at all. I fill my plate – chocolate danish, chocolate muffin, chocolate cookie… All this chocolate love, it’s just like Magic Land! Are those cinnamon rolls going spare? Oh, why not. I add them to my pile, only so they won’t go to waste.

I return to my office to demolish my goodies. This time, I feel fully satisfied that my stomach’s orders have been fulfilled. I manage to focus on my work for at least half an hour before my mind starts drifting again. I wonder if there are any leftovers from morning tea. It would be an awful pity if there were still some muffins on the table, feeling rejected and depressed. Plus don’t forget the starving children in Africa and all that.

I decide that it’s my duty to rescue any leftovers and put them to good use. In my tummy. I sneak back to the staff room and quickly slip in. My jaw drops in shock. The muffins and pastries are gone!

But in their place, there is a spread of rolls and wraps.

Morning tea has become lunch!

This really is Magic Land! Magic Land is here! Magic, magic, magic! I do a magic dance around the room.

I am never leaving this job!