One Kill Away

One of the hazards of cube farms ( cube farm: A grouping or arrangement of office work space into adjoining and regularly sized (8.5 x 5 feet) sections used by employers to maximize space needed and utilized by employees) is that most conversations that take place in a cubicle can be and most times are overheard by neighbors. Normally I dismiss conversations that I myself over hear, assigning them to the ‘white noise’ (and I don’t mean K-Fed) that permeates most corporate offices. However, some words resonate more than others and can therefore penetrate the ‘white noise’ with astounding ease. ‘KILL’ is one such word. When the word ‘KILL’ is uttered within 100 feet of me, I am 100 percent focused in and, I find, that I am almost always interested in the context in which the word was used. Mostly, I’m intrigued, interested, curious, investigative, puzzled by, inquisitive, and/or intrusive about how I may be affected by whatever context the word ‘KILL’ is used. Here, for example, are some less than ideal contexts: ‘Where is MJ?, I’m gonna KILL that (handsome) sunavabitch!’ or ‘I’m KILLing everyone (including the hot people) in this building!!’ or ‘I’m going to KILL the next nattily clad, belt wearing, extremely talented, handsome, athletic black genius I see!’

So, yesterday, upon reaching my ears from over the wall I share with the person to my right, I was immediately alert and interested in the context of the infamous word, and so, I took a moment to recall the sentence in which was contained the offending verb (noun, and sometime idiom): ‘I was one KILL away.’ Listening further, I discovered that the gentlemen over the wall from me were discussing their latest foray into the online game World of War Craft.

Whew!

Apparently, much killing was undertaken by these men’s alter ego druid-warrior-shaman force minotaur-troll-elflings and as they were about to win thru against dire and overwhelming odds, a snafu ensued where a healing priest was more interested in the virtual youth in the game rather than the virtual health of the players. .. I think. At any rate, you’ll be pleased to know, I was completely safe. . . .

This time.