As a solo, I don’t have access to office culture and camaraderie, so it can get pretty lonely at times. But, on the flip side, I don’t have to deal with borderline psychotic colleagues on a daily basis, like “Michelle.”

“I work at Dechert, and I just witnessed an attorney throwing a temper tantrum in the office.  Actually, this is not the first time that “Mike” has had these flare ups.  At least four days a week, he is in his office kicking his trash can like it’s a soccer ball or slamming books or flinging papers.  He’s always grunting and cursing about something.  I can’t understand why this dude is so stressed out.  It’s rumored that he’s on steroids.  I don’t know if that’s true or not.  He is pretty solid and he’s always talking about going to the gym a few times a day.  He has the typical bodybuilder swagger - you know, the I-can’t-put-my-hands-down-at-my-sides-when-I-walk-because- my-pythons-are-colossal swagger.  Anyway, when he’s not in a rage, he’s a nice fellow…I guess.  But, today, he was in his Incredible Hulk mode and decided go in the break room, hug the refrigerator, and attempt to lift it.  I have no idea why.  Everyone in the break room just sat there in silence staring at “Mike”, who is getting angrier and angrier that the refrigerator won’t budge.  When he gets like this, no one knows what to say or do, so we usually just stare.  Then, all of a sudden, one of the employees whispered to everyone else: “shhh, play dead.”  Everyone just started laughing.  ”Mike” hadn’t heard the whisper because he was too busy grunting, but when he heard the laughter, he finally walked away.”

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