Drinking games in the office
November 1996 Stanford, California
"This is unacceptable! Take this back to Rick and tell him to do it again," snapped Barb. Greg looked at Jenna and grinned; both raised their water glasses and took a sip. It was a new game they had come up with the other day. Greg has pointed out that work would be more entertaining with rum and drinking games.
"We can't get the rum, but we could have the drinking games," said Jenna. Greg looked confused.
"How can you have a drinking game without booze?"
"Instead of booze, we have water or any other non booze drink and let's say every time Barb says something is 'Unacceptable' you take a sip of said drink."
"How about every time Marv losses at free cell and lets out that little sigh," suggested Greg.
"Or when Laura from HR comes to our side of the room, looks lost and than goes back to her side of the room without saying anything." Greg laughed.
"She does that like four times a day."
"So are we on for work drinking games?"
"Hell yeah!" So the games began. Due to Barb's foul mood that day and Marv's losing streak they had finished over four large cups of water. Jenna finished her fifth glass and went over to Greg's desk.
"Need a refill?"
"Yep and I have to pee again."
"See it's just like a real drinking game."
"But without the warm fuzzies," said Greg.
"Or making a jackass out of one's self," said Jenna.
"What are you two doing," said Barb from the copier.
"Getting ready to go on afternoon break," said Greg.
"The way you two slack off is unacceptable," Barb huffed off leaving Greg and Jenna trying not to laugh.
"Another round coming up," said Jenna heading for the break room. Greg went the bathroom and Jenna was looking at the pop machines with disappointment when he came back.
"What's up?" Greg asked getting some Reese Peanut Butter Cups from the vending machine.
"Just wishing we had some Pepsi here, well Cherry Pepsi but its all coke and that makes me sad."
"Picky aren't we?"
"Sue me I like Cherry Pepsi and I think coke, which has no rum in it is the devil."
"Thank god we work the same days it you were in class when I worked I would blow my brains out," said Greg.
"That bored huh?"
"Well the drinking game is fun, but not has fun as these little chats. You should come up with a reason to stop by my desk more often," said Greg.
"I would chat with you more. However, Barb would yell and than I would snap and we would be chatting behind plate glass," said Jenna.
"Than we need a reason for you to come see me. Umm, what's your favorite candy?" Jenna raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Well you may need a candy fix to get through the day. Your candy, my desk, it's an excuse."
"A poor one."
"Come on tell me please?" Jenna smiled; he was like a little kid grinning ear to ear and his eyes were shining.
"I like Skittles, just the regular kind, not the sour ones or the odd flavored ones. Just regular Skittles," said Jenna getting some more water. Greg tossed his candy wrapper away.
"I'll see what I can do."
"Hey, I was going to ask. Why are you all so dressed up today? Your hair is even staying flat. Do you have a meeting with the Pope, because I can translate for you." Greg was wearing a pair of black dress slacks with a dark green dress shirt and tie.
"He's too damn cute for his own good. Why couldn't Mitch hire an old lady instead, it would make my life a whole lot easier?" thought Jenna.
"I'm meeting Dana's parents tonight and I wanted to make a good impression." He did a little turn and Jenna nodded.
"Helps if your tie is straight." Greg looked down horrified and Jenna laughed. "Sucker!" She headed back to her desk and tried to ignore that little off putting feeling in her stomach about Greg meeting Dana's parents.
"Parent meetings are for serious or semi-serious dating. Dana doesn't strike me as the serious girlfriend type," thought Jenna. Jenna had met Dana a few times, she would show up when they had pizza down the street from the office. On the surface, Jenna couldn't see why the hell they were a couple…than again people couldn't see on the surface why she and Andy had dated for so long. But Dana was one of those bleach blond Valley Girls that Jenna would love to throttle for being annoying. She even had that annoying perky laugh. Jenna went back to her work but her mind was elsewhere.
"I mean he's a sweetie and he's really smart…she annoying and not the sharpest tool in the shed…well at least when we had lunch together she struck me as vapid and dull, but I'm sure when her and Greg are alone it's a different story. I mean what is your issue Jenna. He's your co-worker, he's been your co-worker for about four months now and your friend and you need to get over this silly crush of yours." Jenna stopped typing and muttered to herself annoyed.
" Way to go, you have a serious crush issue with your co-worker. At least you finally have the guts to admit it, at least to yourself. Look he's a nice guy and a friend, you can always use a nice guy friend, he can set up with people you don't work with and aren't dating other people. Plus you don't have a lot of friends out here, and he's been a really good friend. Let's not weird him out with your crush issue and besides he's dating someone and you're not the type to break up couples." She felt a hand on her shoulder and almost jumped out of her chair. Greg laughed.
"Wow you were really into that. Do you want to go home or keep working?" Jenna looked at the clock and realized it was past five.
"I totally spaced out." She put her stuff away and walked out with Greg.
"I'm really nervous, I mean she wants me to meet her parents."
"Just charm them with your sweet little self."
"It's nice that you think that but, Oh shit," cried Greg. Jenna looked at Greg's car and saw that the front tire was flat.
"No biggie." Greg looked shocked.
"What! My tire is flat and it's going to make me late! I'm so screwed and not in the good way!"
"Do you have a spare tire?" asked Jenna.
"Yeah!"
"Than you can change it and be on your way."
"I don't know how to change a tire," said Greg. Now it was Jenna's turn to look shocked.
"You're joking."
"I'm not! I never had to because my parents had Triple A." Jenna walked over to the car and bent down.
"Well you learn something new everyday. Can you hand me the jack and the spare tire?"
"You're going to change the tire?" Greg sounded skeptical.
"My mom is widow and when my older brother went away to college in Chicago, she told me that 'a man would not always be around to help us' and she not only taught me how to change a tire, but to change my oil and air filters. Now can I have that jack please?" Greg handed her the tire and the jack. Jenna got the tire off and found why it went flat. "You ran over some glass, but you can take it to a service station and get it patched and refilled." It took her a few minutes to get the spare on, but it went on okay and she put the flat and the jack in the trunk.
"Ta dah!" said Jenna.
"I'm very impressed, sorry you ruined you pants though." Jenna had gotten grease on them and she knew the stains wouldn't be coming off. She would have to bend her tight budget to get some new ones for work.
"I'll just have to cave and buy some new pants is all."
"I owe you."
"Nah we're friends. You should get going or you'll be late," said Jenna.
"You are the best," said Greg and he hopped into the car. "See ya tomorrow afternoon." Jenna waved goodbye and started walking the few blocks back to her apartment.
"You could have not done that, you could have pretended to have no clue how to change a tire, made him late and messed up the parent meeting," thought Jenna. She sighed and shook her head. "But that's wrong, he's your friend and you want him to be happy. It's time to forget about it, it's a crush nothing will ever come from it."
Jenna's tune changed the next afternoon when she came in after classes. Greg got their before her and was working away. Jenna looked on her desk and found a small bag of Skittles, a can of Cherry Pepsi and a white envelope bearing her name. She opened the envelope; in it was a thank you card and a gift card to Target's for 30 dollars. She looked over at Greg who was wearing his trademark ear to ear grin. Jenna took the gift card and walked over to his desk.
"I can't accept this," she said trying to give him back the gift card.
"Please Jen, you were a huge help last night and Dana's parents were surprised about how punctual I was and I was able to charm them with my sweet self. Plus I got this," Greg pulled out a small candy dish and a large bag of Skittles. "More reasons for you to come and visit me." She sighed.
"Fine you've twisted my arm. I should start working before Barb comes a calling." She looked down at the gift card again. "Thanks."
"Anytime," said Greg turning back to his PC. Jenna sat down and opened her Skittles.
"You know you dated Andy for years and he could never remember that you liked Skittles. He always got you M&M's or Reese's Pieces, you remind him again and he would still forget." Jenna looked over at Greg and felt that little off putting feeling in her stomach. "Fuck crush…way to go Jenna you have fallen head over heels for your un-datable coworker." An e-mail popped up from Greg and she heard Marv sigh as he lost a game of free cell.
"You wanna play the drinking game before I leave?" read the email.
"Sure."
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