Today at Google Kirkland we’re celebrating Oktoberfest, which is deceptively not held in Oktober October. Anyway, to celebrate, Google set up a few tents, some grills, and also hired a live German “oompa” band. While I’m sure you can guess the fare: bratwurst to the extreme, and for some reason Salmon burgers (there’s always Salmon burgers. Always. It is suspicious). In order to not be shown up by the office on TV’s The Office, we have also been granted the gift of pretzels. Giant, soft, Bavarian pretzels. So delicious. So plentiful, as well. Given that there were two baskets on every table and several on the food line, I’d estimate approximately 2 pretzels for every person.

Anyway, I don’t want to talk about pretzels. I want to talk about Costco. This brings me to yesterday’s lunch.

Yesterday’s lunch was an average day – no band, no grills (sadly). However, a Costco rep was coming in to convince people to sign up for Costco memberships. I think everyone here is already a member, though, so I don’t understand the point. So this guy comes in and brings “treats” for desert after we all eat lunch.

This is very generous. And probably something employees would really appreciate, in a normal office. But, Google is not normal. We get delicious little pastries, fresh baked brownies, and they even had little mini-cakes (I believe the mini-cakes were an effort by our culinary team to send a message to the Costco man, and anyone else which would come after him). As such, I don’t think many people really wanted his Costco brand cookies. A few people took some, but with a look of sorrow and pity in their eyes.

So this man – who looked fairly sad and lonely at his own Costco table – didn’t talk to many people, because everyone already is a member at Costco, nor did people come over and fake talking to him to get a treat, because of delicious mini-cakes.

While walking by I met his eyes, infinite pools of sadness, and briskly walked by with my piece of cookies and cream cake.