The Sociable Water Cooler
The water cooler is a hub of activity and excitement. It’s around about this time, the tea time mark, that everyone’s brain begins to dissolve. I’m staring at the water cooler in my office now as I write, wondering what sort of a life a water cooler must have. It’s a solitary life that’s for certain, there’s no likelihood of a water cooler banter session. What with have no limbs, it would be difficult to gesticulate, or be sociable in any way. It’s lucky for the water cooler that it doesn’t need to go looking for conversation because conversation comes looking for it. It draws in a group of people, it says come to me, come and discuss the lingering, niggling points of the day. The topics could range from a gossip session about a fellow colleague, someone who’s caused a stir in the office maybe. Perhaps it’s the new intern who’s really too timid to take on the work, or isn’t pulling her weight. Perhaps she’s too young and uppity, and is threatening- with every hair flick and noisy laugh- to disrupt the close-knit nature of the group. Then there’s Jane in accounting who’s recently just gone and got herself pregnant. But- and here’s the cherry- who’s the father??
