The Orchid of Office Annoyance

Sarah, the new HR lead, practically glowed as she unveiled "Petunia," a magnificent orchid, in the open-plan office. "Studies show plants boost morale and productivity!" she'd chirped. Two weeks later, Petunia was less a morale booster and more a botanical battlefield. Brenda from accounting started leaving passive-aggressive notes about "excessive watering," subtly implying Kevin from marketing was a plant murderer. Kevin retaliated by rotating Petunia's pot daily, strategically placing its most flamboyant bloom directly in Brenda's peripheral vision. Then came the "humidity wars," with tiny, laminated instructions appearing overnight, followed by a mysterious case of "accidental" coffee grounds in Petunia's soil. The true zenith of absurdity was reached when a miniature, hand-knitted sweater materialized on Petunia's stem, accompanied by a note: "She looked cold." Productivity, Sarah noted, had indeed skyrocketed – but only in the complex art of office sabotage and horticultural espionage. Sarah was last seen researching the therapeutic benefits of office llamas.