On Tuesday, I participated in a breakfast meeting at work.  As the meeting wore on, the table was strewn with donuts, coffee cups, and strangely a tin of mints.  Approaching the two hour mark, I could see that my participation was no longer needed, so I bowed out of the discussion.  I went on about my day and thankfully some super helpful co-workers cleaned up the meeting remains.

Entering the office this morning, what did I find on my desk?  The tin of Altoids.  What stronger hint could be sent?  What dastardly discussions took place after I left?  “Oh, thank goodness Dave left.  Could you believe his morning breath?  I move to give Dave the remaining mints.  Is there a second?”  Ouch.

Sad and mopey (in a joking sort of way), I started to grumble about the mints, as I gobbled them up, one-by-one.  Ah, minty wintergreen fresh breath.  After my second or third rant about the mints, I received some relief.  “Dave, I put them on your desk, because it looks like the type of thoughtful thing that you would bring to a meeting.”  Aw, how sweet.  I take it all back.  My frown turned upside down.  Well, either a nice recovery or something so sweet.  Regardless, now I have minty fresh breath, as I grumble away.

The planted mints.  A nice thought or a subtle hint.  Either way, I’m the winner (plus, all those who now get a whiff of my delicious breath.  Yummy wintergreen freshness.)