It's so refreshing to have a boss who understands...

On top of the fridge, at the office, is the bottle of "Y Sparkle" that has been there over a year (and maybe closer to two). It disturbs me that it has been there so long. And what disturbs me even more is that it seems to be developing some sort of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. I want to throw it out, but, there have been issues about people throwing out stuff that has been reserved for later consumption. Over the last few months, at the various office eating parties, I have made references to the aging Sparkle in hopes that someone would claim it. Every time I brought up the Sparkle, I got blank stares, as if the bottle of non-caffeinated beverage was a figment of my imagination.

Shortly after New Years, when I was in my morning daze, and sitting in the kitchen waiting for my water to get reasonably warm enough for my instant oatmeal, I was staring at the Sparkle (yes, sometimes I can fixate on unreasonable things) and I noticed that the label said, "Since 1964." I sprinted to my desk to grab a pen and a pink sticky note. I wrote on the sticky note- "Has this really been here since 1964?"

Days went by without a response. I had expected SOMEONE, at least one person in the office of about twenty, to notice my note and leave a reply. I was sorely disappointed that no-one was sharing in my amusement over the aging bottle. My disappointment lasted a few days, and then I forgot about the Sparkle-note.

Until today. There on the bottle, on an orange sticky note, in my boss's handwriting, it said, "Like a fine wine, Sparkle only improves with age."