Awkward...

Why is it that at work functions everyone feels obligated to laugh at your manager's stupid jokes?  If one of your friends or your brother were to make the same joke you would probably just stare at them, or change the subject.  So, why do people act so stupid around upper management?

Last week was our annual "Holiday Luncheon" for my department at work, and it was awkward from the start.  The first order of business was deciding who would be riding together.  Instead of inviting myself into one of my coworkers cars and having to sit on half chewed Cheerios between two car seats I decided to go solo.  Plus I didn't feel like clearing out the months worth of junk in my backseat to make room for someone's awkward small talk on the way to lunch.  Therefore, I hightailed it to the parking garage and told everyone I'd meet them there.  

The next awkward moment involved the bread plate.  Everyone sees the bread sitting there, starring at me, mocking me, next to the sparkly plate of oil and hummus.  Why is everyone so horrified to take the first piece of bread?  Waiting... waiting... waiting over awkward small talk ... salivating..... FINALLY... my manger makes a break for the first piece.  Whew.... now we all cleared for takeoff.  

A few minutes later we're down to the last piece- again- everyone just ignores the lonely piece of bread as if it weren't even there.  Man, I want it bad... I'm real hungry... but if I take it I'll look like a rude fatass.  So I ignore it.... there it sits... all alone... waiting for me to eat it....

Over lunch we're all chatting, mostly about work, which I hate by the way.  Why do we always talk about work, even when we're not at work?  Yes, I realize that work is what we all have in common but come on.  I'm sure we can find other things to talk about.  We can talk about the weather, or how horrible the Chiefs are this season, I don't really care, as long as it's not about Barbara who called you this morning and was angry because her shipment was misdelivered.  Who-Cares.  

It was during our awkward lunch that I realized just how stupid people act around their managers and coworkers.  I've noticed it in past lunches and meetings before, especially the ones where the vice president of our department attends, but today it was over the top.  Every story, remark or comment that either one of our managers made was followed by an uproar of laughter.  Everything was funny.  Every question had an answer and every opinion was supported.  There was one point during lunch when something really dumb was said and everyone cracked up like it was soooooo funny.  It wasn't funny at all!?  You would have thought we were dining with Eddie Murphy.  

Is this how everyone acts around their managers?  Why do we act like this?  They're just regular old people.  It's not like we're kissing ass because that's totally unnecessary in my department.  I just don't get it.