The most hilarious present

Way back when I first started working at my current company as a temp employee, there was one day, no more than a few weeks in, when I was in the convenience store downstairs and decided, on a whim, to get some beef jerky. I hadn't eaten the stuff more than a couple times before in my life, but it was one of those "what the hell" moments.

When I brought it upstairs, for some reason it evolved into a running joke in the Graphics department. First, Chris, my boss, decided that this was "a totally Flaxman thing to do," even though this was the first time they'd ever seen me eating it and I'd virtually never had it before in my life. Then, everyone was suitably amused by the name "Jack Link's Premium Cuts," leading to that being a running joke for weeks. The idea of "meat snacks" hung around even longer, especially when it transpired that another Graphics part-timer ate beef jerky nearly every day (although somehow he almost totally escaped being joked with for it).

Time went on and there was something of a diaspora from the department. I ended up in QC; one of the graphics specialists, Chris (not the same person as my boss), became a team leader; the other part-timer got full-time employment somewhere else.

Today Chris (former GS, current TL Chris) came over to my desk to drop off a promotion to be proofed. I had sent out an e-mail earlier informing everyone that I would be leaving early because it was my birthday. Chris wished me a happy birthday and surprised me a little bit by knowing my age. Then he announced he had a present for me and pulled out...

...a Jack Link's Premium Cuts Barbecue Beef Steak stick. With a bow on it.

I mentally rolled my eyes a little bit in the company meeting the other day when the CEO was going on about what a fun place this is to work... but really, it's far more true here than it would be in a lot of other work places. I laughed for about five minutes after Chris handed me the jerky - it was such a perfectly-timed, hilarious callback. Good times.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some jerky to eat.