So, Dawn Gamble, the executive assistant to the CEO, had this idea.

The  movie, Jack, the Giant Slayer had just come out, so she thought, “why not have a company-wide bean growing contest for April?”

“The Fun Bunch”, the social committee went along, so on April 1st, they went shopping for supplies, sent out a mass email inviting teams of two to drop by at noon to pick up their little pots, dirt and a handful of beans.

Now, usually when there is one of these kind of competition deals, the usual suspects show up. You know, all the employees who always take part in everything.

This time, for reasons no one can figure out, dozens showed up. It was a virtual bean stampede. “The Fun Bunch” quickly started to run out of supplies and had to start cutting the portions for those at the back of the line. People were getting pretty anxious near the end, hoping upon hope that they wouldn’t miss out. I wouldn’t say it got as far as pushing and shoving, but there was some serious leaning in going on.

In the end, every team who wanted to take part managed to get in the game – but just barely.

That’s when things started to get a little weird.

Company wide, folks were going online to figure out the best germination techniques. You could see people hunched over the computers, making sure no one else could tell what site they were on, because you know, just in case.

People hit the stores, buying stuff like fertilizer and mini-green houses. One maniac called up a commercial flower grower looking for the best growing tips (although I must admit, they were very helpful).

Things settled down for a couple of days, with beans pressed between wet paper towels or soaking jars on desks all over the place, but when they started to sprout, all hell broke loose.

People were running all over showing off their beans sprouts like it was some kind of miracle.

Then someone said that they heard that breathing on them helped with growth.

Every few hours people were panting over their plants.

A few more days and then it was time for planting. Every flat surface that is at or near a window that gets sun is now covered with bean plants! They’re everywhere.

First thing every morning everyone skips grabbing coffee. Instead it’s time to check out their “babies”.

And breathe on them.

One week to go and those in the lead are taking abuse, accused of using performance enhancing drugs.

Things could get ugly around here.

Over beans.