Day 298: If It's Free, It's For Me

Today I went on a work adventure. The company I work for is participating in a lighting convention that is taking place in an area of Stockholm called Kista (pronounced: Sheesta). My husband just so happens to work in the area, so lucky for me I got to "go to work" with him today. We took the pendeltåg (commuter train) together to and from work AND we even met for lunch. It was really exciting because we haven't had lunch together during a work day since I started my job almost two years ago and even before then it was a rare treat.

The work adventure itself was quite interesting. I always enjoy people watching at these types of events and today proved especially entertaining. There were the stereo-typical electricians with their dusty workman's cargo pants, the light designers with their hip horn-rimmed glasses and the consultants, who were mostly generic, and then everything else in between, and even beyond. Most entertaining however was watching how people reacted to the "give aways." Our small giveaway was individually wrapped miniature Swedish candies, more specifically daim (like heath bar) and kex choklad (similar to a kit kat). The kex choklad were most popular though both bowls of godis (candy) were disappearing at a fast pace.

Back in Texas, I once worked with a guy who's motto was, "If it's free, it's for me!" He loved to "visit" the noon conferences where he would help himself to the lunch buffet nearly every day. I tried to tell him that it wasn't actually free, that each plate used was counted and the department was charged for every single one of them. He still continued to come. Well, let's just say that it was like this guy multiplied today. Some of our booth visitors were polite and took one candy, maybe two with a sly smile. Then there were those who stood there talking to you, casually sneaking one after the other into their mouths every few minutes. One woman ate five all together. But my personal favorite was college student who, after standing there for ten minutes while her friend asked one of my colleagues a million questions, merely scooped up an entire handful and casually dropped it in her bag, pretending all the while like she did nothing. Then five minutes later she made the exact same move. Two handfuls right into the bag. If it's free, it's for me.

The most popular of the give-away candies by far.

On our way to the pendaltåg station this morning. No bicycle today but it was worth it.