Good-bye, Cranky Steve

Last Monday, Cranky Steve retired.  And then we saw him on Tuesday. And Wednesday. And Thursday.

I have my doubts that he really understands what "retirement" means.

We had the traditional retirement cake Friday afternoon (it was bright pink, blue and yellow, and since anything neon is a clue that I cannot eat that particular thing, I ended up cutting cake and serving everyone. I mean, why not? May as well be useful), in which we presented him with a photocopy of a pocket watch--his retirement gift "from all of us" even though I think the office picked it up--with reassurances it would be here in a couple of weeks. It was all rather touching. Everyone was in a good mood because, hello, cake, and Steve was in a good mood because his days were numbered.

So Monday rolls around, and we're all, it's kind of awkward that we've already eaten his cake, but then Joe the president/publisher passed around the aforementioned pocket watch (that was a quick two weeks) and had us all stealthily sneak into Steve's tiny office to present it to him, but that took forever because he'd sent Steve out on some mission and he got sidetracked. Joe said some very nice words and we all clapped and then we got back to work.

Oh, and ate the brownies Steve had made and brought in himself. Except not me because my system is a jerk.

Anyway, Monday was kind of a nice last day for Steve, I think, because everyone was being all sentimental and Steve was pretty jacked he was hanging it all up. I gave him a jar of raspberry jam I'd made the evening before and the picture Johanna had made for him--Steve with his two cats, raccoon and skunk. I should have taken a copy of it because that picture was awesome. Also, Johanna thinks raccoons look like bigger cats.

And then, like I said, he kept coming back--on Tuesday because he didn't want our new circulation manager thrown to the wolves on her first paper day, on Wednesday because he had raccoon stories, I think, or else he was still cleaning out his office, and then on Thursday briefly to bring by some plastic packing boxes he no longer needed and was wanting to find homes for. You know what, though? Happy Steve is fun. It was a good way to go out.

We'll probably see him a lot this week too.

My favorite Cranky Steve posts:

Cranky Steve probably has rabies

However much I do

Mormon Chicken

Ah, the memories!