blamebrampton

leaf_light , don't get excited, but it is at the brill beta's.

So today was Take Your Ukelele To Work Day in my office. My friend who is keen to get one too is off to buy hers on the weekend and wanted to have a look at mine. As yet, I do not own a ukulele case because there is a ukulele drought in Sydney and the accessories are selling out even faster than the instruments. But I still have the little asymmetrical cardboard box it came in, so I packed it into that and set off on my walk to work.

My neighbour was bringing his bin in as I left. "Is that a sword?" he asked, nodding at the box.

"No," I replied, "It's a ukulele."

I got to work. "Is that a gun?" asked the friendly security guard (NB with ONLY INTEREST, not a hint of 'You might need to check that in'!)

"No," I replied, "It's a ukulele."

I took the lift up to my office and ran into my editor in chief.

"Is that a mini guitar?" she asked (she is v sane).

"Very close! It's a ukulele!"

The day passed with general pleasantness, at the end, I packed my things and went to walk home with some of the other late-leavers who park their cars up towards my street. We made it some little way before my bestie in the group said:

"B, I'm sure it's not, but for all the world it looks as though you are carting a machine gun about under your arm."

"Why does everyone automatically assume I'm likely to carry deadly weaponry?" I asked.

She gave me A Look. "Do you really need me to answer that?"

I suppose it's reassuring in a way that they all believe I would be not only a well-accoutred assassin, but one likely to use her powers only for good, not evil.

ETA OMG! Just realised what day it is, HAPPY BIRTHDAY