Unfinished Business

Staff meeting this week. It took forever. I must have doodles on two full pages. Walking into the conference room I could see the spire hats of all the little gnomes rise above their chairs. You'd think they'd take their hats off when they get indoors. Little gnome legs were swinging under their chairs while they pretended to pay attention, like me. I sat in a chair against the wall with some co-workers. Looking at the the conference table at the back of the cone hats that wagged back and forth as the gnomes leaned into each other to kibbutz and conference further. Some lean forward to blow on the mugs of hot chocolate syrup they bring with them to start their day.

Do they really care to be there? Staff meetings for gnomes have a hard time getting guest speakers. Gnomes are a private group. There were some grumbling gnomes wishing these morning staff meeting were in the evenings. Gnomes aren't known for being morning creatures. The evening meeting, grumbles one nasty gnome, would be better with the grog. His mug of chocolate syrup is larger than any gnomes at the meeting. He seems like a "more" gnome.

No one here knew who the guest speaker would be. It's been several months since the Executive Offices have approved a speaker. The Dragon King's Daughter was considered a conspiratorial visit. There were just too many concerns that her visit would be reconnaissance to take back with her the layout of the hallways and treasure rooms. Awfully nice of her family to offer her services as speaker. Just rather risky, all things considered, with Dragons and Treasure and all.

The Turtle Knight may have been an interesting option. He would certainly not be concerned with Gnome Treasure. He carries his own with him. It may still be an interesting option. The Executive Offices are waiting for him to arrive...eventually. There has been some scuttlebutt that when he does actually arrive the staff meeting will need to be extended a few hours (or a day) to give Sir Knight the time he needs to speak. We are all hoping he doesn't make this a sales call to promote the hardshell treasure sacks he was promoting last time. He went on for hours.

I do understand that the gnomes would like to hear from the Pixies again. They are light and lively and flitter and flutter around the conference table. There is no way to be sure they stay on topic, it's just a lively discussion. I imagine there is no time to doodle when the Pixies appear.

One gnome sitting at the far end of the conference table this week was humming softly to himself while he waited for Top Honcho Gnome to come get the meeting started. Humming Gnome did not know the other gnomes could hear him. He swung his feet under his chair and hummed along some more and hoped it's not the Pixies for a speaker. He just can't keep up with them. It's a warm and buoyant tune he hums. The gnome sitting closely by wondered if his neighbor hums because he is in a good mood, or if he hums because he is not in a good mood and wants to be.

Neighbor gnome hoped the keynote speaker called to cancel. He doesn't care who it is. He just likes that when the speakers call to cancel everyone is dismissed. That will leave him with two hours of no meeting, and an otherwise cleared off schedule. He doesn't have to pick up his pick-axe and trudge into the mountain with the other gnomes right away. He can sit under a mushroom outside for awhile and pick his teeth with pine needles. He can enjoy the light breeze and smell the forest floor decomposing. This is the best of all smells for him. He is a gnome, you know.