mince pies and coffee

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After work this fine evening we had a small get-together in our department. In the past, when our team was smaller and yet to be amalgamated into the other team, we would have an end of term luncheon shindig in one of the classrooms. Non-alcoholic drinks would be provided by the College and everyone would bring some food to share. Music would play in the background, cheesy Christmas tunes getting us into the festive spirit. This afternoon's festive offering was forgettable. No music. A smattering of mince pies and doughnuts. No drinks provided ... bring your own coffee, why don't you. It may have become apparent to you, Dear Reader, that I'm a bit of an anxious introvert; a room full of people milling around, maybe even wanting to indulge in some form of small talk with me, takes me to teeter on the clifftop. I survived five minutes and then I grabbed a doughnut and mince pie and hurried back into the other room. Ah, silence. Pure heaven. I much prefer the sound of quiet to the sound of noise. Sometimes noise is good, but thirty people vying for attention is not a good noise. It's more of a painful, anxiety-inducing sound, everybody talking but nobody really listening.