The highpoint of the week at my current client is the event that has been tagged: “the ice cream frenzy” by a colleague of mine. Several months ago, during an “all hands meeting” to discuss the myriad problems facing the project, one of the solutions suggested, and the only one later implemented, was to have ice cream every week for the project team.
Wednesday became the anointed day, and every Wednesday around 2:15, the ice cream drop off point takes on strange properties, similar to a low-grade black hole. People are slowly drawn to the drop point, and gradually a gauntlet forms where the poor cafeteria lady pushing the ice cream cart must pass.
Around 2:30, the wobble and squeal of a gimpy wheel can be heard heading towards the project area, and the crowd will hush. Those not already milling about the drop point, or formed in the gauntlet take their positions, and any stragglers follow the ice cream cart like so many children following the Pied Piper.
Staring at the hungry eyes of over 200 people with mounting fear, the cafeteria lady generally abandons the ice cream cart well before reaching the official drop point, and runs for her life as the crowds descend. Attempting to grab the best of the assorted ice cream treats, the risk of losing a hand placed too close to the fray is very real. People climb over cubicles, grabbing handfuls of treats for themselves and their colleagues, and mild mannered IT managers and business people turn into salivating wolves.
In less than three minutes, 250+ treats are being shepherded back to cubicles, and those that missed the frenzy are stalking around with forlorn looks, or contemplating whatever stragglers remain on the cart, generally something appetizing like “Broccoli Ice Cream Bar with Brussels Sprout Coating (artificially flavored).” If only Pavlov were around to see the spectacle!