Bigger Than An Elephant

Back in the late '90's I worked at a small hi-tech call center called 800 Support. They had recently changed their name from 900 Support because 900 numbers were synonymous with phone sex at that time. Changing the name didn't change the culture. We had a small budget for our Company picnic and had to settle for a Clown as our entertainment. There was lots of talk in the social committee meetings about how we could easily have a better picnic next year. The big Blow-Up slide was the clear favorite in the unofficial voting.

Then we arrived at Cook Park to find the place is full because Intel is also having their Company Picnic at the same time. We were limited to a small corner of the park with our Clown while Intel got the rest of the park for their Petting Zoo, Carnival equipment and best of all an Elephant for the kids to ride. Talk about picnic envy, we were wanting to crash that party for sure.

We kept wondering what they would do to top that picnic next year. What could they possibly get that is bigger than an Elephant? A Whale might be bigger but the kids can't ride. It's like the escalating Birthday Party for kids that go from costume themes to the famous Clown again and it can only end with a Pony to ride for entertainment. But what do you get the year after the Pony? A herd of Ponies? Clowns on Ponies? Ponies on Clowns?

The next year we couldn't even afford the cost of a full picnic so we had to settle for a Bowling trip and all the people complained that last year was better. That was when the Social Committee turned into the anti-Social Committee and we ended up with no picnic the year after that.

There was a time when we were jealous of Intel and their Elephant but then it turned into proof of their excess. We finally realized you can't live up to last year so don't even try. Now days most people are happy to go Bowling but I am still dreaming of the day we get a Dinosaur for our next Company Picnic. Nothing could be bigger than a Dino.