Snaps crackle at staff meetings

My turn to lead the biweekly staff meeting is not as demanding as, say, being the leader of the Free World, but it does cause anticipation anxiety. I try to not hyperventilate or lock my knees, but I sure would like to fake having a nosebleed and go hide in the restroom. Hey, it worked in high school Spanish class!

Our agenda template includes a prohibition against Rabbit Trails. Being fond of rabbits and their calming presence in the preschool classroom, I think introducing rabbits into the office environment might be an improvement.

The most confounding part of the agenda is Snaps. We go around the conference table announcing we "have Snaps" for our coworkers who have accomplished amazing acts of heroism or just held the door for us when we entered the building. What are Snaps? Why do we have Snaps for _your name here    instead of giving Snaps to _your name here?

Although it is still early in the agenda, I get distracted. The Addams Family song plays in my ear. Sadly, this will be the last staff meeting with our water educator, Pugsley.

But what about ginger snaps dunked in hot black coffee? Or Rice Krispies?


And from that happy thought, I boomerang to bra straps in junior high school. Boys would walk up behind young ladies and pull bra straps out to snap back against backs or shoulders, through clothing, of course. This sort of tween harassment was considered perfectly normal behavior of boys-will-be-boys. To have your bra strap snapped in the late Sixties was less humiliating than not having a bra strap to snap. Either way, this obnoxious behavior was just something girls should accept. Huh???

• Maybe SNAP is a management acronym. Acronym meanings for SNAP make a long, long, unmanageable list. 

• The library has a new book, Snap strategies for couples: 40 fast fixes for everyday relationship pitfalls, by Dr. Pepper Schwartz. It sounds like quick casserole recipes!

• What are the rules of Snap? Kiddie card games were popular birthday gifts and favors in the Sixties. Snap showed up in packages with Animal Rummy, Go Fish, Hearts, Authors, Old Maid and Crazy Eights.

Before I get my sled runners back in the groove, I must mention the strange Scandinavian children's books starring the triplet boys, Snipp, Snapp, and Snurr.

 

Corresponding blonde girl triplets in the book series, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka, might have belonged to a sorority where applause was too loud and disruptive, and so they invented "Snaps" for meetings.

© 2013-2015 Nancy L. Ruder