Be it strange that every office worker must be tame and docile,

To maintain their jobs and keep their salary,

Should one dare accuse-

The office hums like a machine?

As an entity for work that is-

But the human relations steeped within,

Is an organism in itself-

Fascinating.

An office, boo!

This girl har- wear until like that,

Want to seduce guys izzit?

You go sit on the boss’s lap lah.

Ha! I must make an alliance with him,

Then kick the other person out,

Meanwhile I must still make the rest like me,

To come out and be tops.

Many seniors with good intentions reiterate-

Just do what you are told to do,

Not too fast and not too slow,

And you will be right as rain.

Lunch time-

And it’s off to the food court, hawker centre or fast food restaurant,

And the seniors caution,

Try not to eat with the bosses when you’re far too junior.

It seems- in school, if you had it in you to make others like you,

Then ditto for the work place.

If you have it, you have it-

If you don’t, you don’t.

But many people refuse to admit defeat-

And read article after article,

Book after book on office etiquette and politics.

And this is how MSN and many writers make their money.

And so the articles write:

You must look neat,

You must anticipate the boss’s need,

You are there to aid, not hinder work.

Yet, the office organism continues,

With a life of its own,

Those reading the writings start pretending and put on masks,

Who will survive?

There is one thing that appears right amidst all the writings,

Know your strengths and weaknesses,

Once you do-

Make them work for you.

Humming, humming, to get work done-

This is the office.