[ WP ] Yesterday , the world heard an announcement that a massive asteroid would hit the earth today . Only it did n't , and now everyone is feeling super awkward .

The faint hum of a fluorescent light droned in the break room, its sickly pale glow back-lighting a dead moth that had been in there for months. A sign on the refrigerator read,'Refrigerator Clean-out This Friday: All Unclaimed Food Will Be Discarded'. This sign had been there for months, so it was unclear what'This Friday' meant. 
 
 Peter from accounting entered. Peter was forty-five, balding, wore suspenders and a belt together every day. The tie he wore today was an extreme close up of a pug's face. His wife, Alice, made great fudge every Christmas which Peter liked to share with the office. Peter began making coffee. 
 
 Marjorie, the front desk receptionist, opened the door. She was thirty-two, recently divorced, and had four cats, all of whom had been acquired within the past year. Marjorie started as she caught sight of Peter and immediately spun to leave, but made eye contact with him before she could get back out through the door. 
 
 Having been seen, Marjorie continued into the room and busied herself rearranging years-old plastic utensils in the cupboard while she waited for Peter to clear away from the coffee machine. 
 
 `` S-so,'' Peter began, the word sort of dying in his throat and trailing off. Marjorie cringed. 
 
 Peter began again, `` So, erm... funny thing, the world not um, ending and all.'' 
 
 Marjorie decided she could have coffee later and began a beeline for the door. `` Yeah,'' she said, trying to sound light on her way out. 
 
 `` Listen,'' Peter said, `` Um, about last night, I...'' Peter glanced awkwardly toward Marjorie's chest, realized what he was doing and quickly looked back at the ceiling. 
 
 Marjorie yanked the door open frantically, waving her hand as if pursued by unseen bats. `` It's.. do n't mention it!'' And out she went. The door banged shut. 
 
 Bert, the department manager, stepped in. Bert was fifty-five years old and overweight, but was well liked because he brought pastries in every Friday. `` Oh!'' he said, with some alarm, seeing Peter. Peter's face began to cycle through several shades of red. He decided he'd just take his coffee black and, abandoning the creamer altogether, headed for the door. 
 
 `` Listen,'' Bert said, `` About last night. I've always just wanted to experiment and never though-'' 
 
 `` Do n't mention it!'' Peter exclaimed, practically running out into the hallway. 
 
 Bert, alone in the break room, shrugged and set about pouring himself some coffee.
