Yes, you read it here first……I have been punked, and it wasn’t a silly trick. It took time, talent, and patience. It took extreme intelligence, and most importantly – VILLAINOUS THOUGHT! I am completely humbled not only by those who thought of it, but by the perfect execution of it!

Let me explain!

Last week I was in two LOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG days of software training. I stopped at my desk a couple times on day one to complain how boring it was, etc. Drama at its finest. Then, I can’t remember if it was on the first day or the second, I came back to my desk and most everything was turned over. My stapler, my tape dispenser, my pictures – you name it, it was turned over. My first thought was, “How cute, but somewhat amateurish.” But overall, I felt loved that they would play a trick on me, the office trickster.

What surprised me, however, was the lack of……fanfare. I made a few comments and really didn’t get the reaction I was expecting. Of course, the game says you need to deny knowing who did it and deny being involved – that goes without saying. But usually the game calls for hovering, teasing, pointing out missing or altered items, denial…..it’s a whole play really. This was not happening. I quietly turned over my items, said a few comments, and it kind of stayed there.

I don’t know when I noticed, but I realized that my Gambino (cousin of Gumby) was missing. “So THAT’s it!” I thought. Okay, I can play that game – I won’t say anything just to kill them a little. Then, after that didn’t work I mention to someone (Liz?) that I knew he was missing but whatever. No reaction. So then I was like, “these people really don’t know what they’re doing – obviously I need to teach them the way to play this game! They are too……boring!”

So I went forward with other things – drama at home, drama at work, too busy to really notice anything or put more energy in this. And I truly thought – maybe if I just ignore the fact that Gambino was missing, they will buckle under the pressure and tell me.

One thing I failed to mentioned – last week I bought three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, which I had forgotten to bring home for several days. Last night I finally remembered; I brought them home, put them on the counter, and told Deana she could take the disgusting ones I bought for her to work. That was that.

Hours passed – did homework, paid bills, watched TV. Another friend stopped by and saw the cookies. “Oh,” she says, “I love Girl Scout cookies! Can I have one? The peanut butter sandwiches are my favorite.” Me, being so nice and generous, said, “Of course, they’re my favorite too! Let’s have some!”

I opened the box – you know, they’re the kind that you pull the tab that is pre-punched…..I open it, and out comes……MY BOX OF MILK DUDS?!!?!!?!!? The ones that used to be on my desk at work??? The ones I didn’t even notice were missing???? WHAT???

I open the next box – again, pull the tab – the one that you can’t pull and then can’t put back on – and out comes Gambino!

I open the third, and there comes my 5 year anniversary pen and pencil set!

But, more importantly – WHERE ARE MY FREAKING COOKIES?!?!!!?!!?

Oh, don’t think that my friend who wanted the cookies was innocent – she was an accomplice in this for sure!

But I have to say, without hesitation, I was wrong about y’all being boring! YOU DID THE PERFECT PUNK – HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER!

LIZ – My mentorship of you is complete! You kept a straight face, didn’t even look guilty, and pulled this off perfectly!

CAT – you too – I commend you for not giving away this perfect trick, even after days of delay.

EILEEN – I am assuming you were involved with this somehow! And I thought you were so innocent! BAH! You are officially a full-fledged member of the team now!

RONA – you are a butthead. A real butthead. But kudos.

ALL OF YOU – I give you major kudos for THINKING of it, IMPLEMENTING it, and HIDING it! Nice job on the boxes too – while I know now how you did it, there was no indication that you had messed with any of them. Superb.

Now, WHERE ARE MY COOKIES!!!!!!!