On Take Your Kids to Work Day at my office, visiting kids were welcomed by a folding table covered with donuts, cookies, sandwiches, sodas, and pizza. The folding table and the wall behind it were decorated in a tropical island theme, and a small stereo played Jimmy Buffett and Beach Boys music for every moment of the entire afternoon despite the teary pleas of those in the surrounding area. (Incidentally, Kokomo is in Indiana. I think knowing that adds a layer.) A good time was had by all who were allowed to eat the donuts because they had kids.

We have a bulletin board on my floor where we post recent events, notices, etc. The floor secretary has posted ten big 8″x11″ photos of Take Your Kids to Work Day on this bulletin board so that everyone can remember what a success it was and how much fun everyone had… but she didn’t take pictures of the kids. There are no humans in any of the photographs, in fact; she just took pictures of the table. The wall around the corner from my desk is covered with almost a dozen giant pictures of donuts on a card table from a variety of different angles. Every time I see it, it gives off the same vibes I get from taxidermy.