Two Oranges and a Donut

This is a true story...only the names have been changed to protect the innocent:

A typical Tuesday afternoon at a typical workplace. Typical people are performing typical tasks. But typical problems typically arise when you least typically expect them. Anyway, so on the 3rd floor of this building a strange odor lurks...it was noticed yesterday but today it seems stronger. Naturally, the mind immediately wanders to the most reasonable explanation: SICK BUILDING.

The, ummmm, person who is not an attorney, who we will call Mancy, who made her diagnosis not only feared for her safety but also for that of her secretary. She immediately called the building supervisor, Dom, to advise him that they could not work under these conditions. Their offices needed moved immediately and that inspectors should be brought in to do air handling procedures.

Realizing the immediancy of the request, Dom set up temporary offices for the, ummmmm, not attorney and her secretary. Of course, Mancy then began "worrying" about other people on the floor. What are they being exposed to? What type of litigation could be brought? She began consulting with Toxic Torts counsel to find out what the ramifications could be. In the meantime, the poor building supervisor it trying to figure out what it going on.

By the next day, the building owners were notified and they promised swift action. Within another day, air quality control specialists would be on-site. Perhaps the entire building was contaminated...then what? Thursday arrived and the air handling folks arrived...they were taken to the site of the strange odor. Immediately, the odor was strongest in Mancy's office. This eliminated the air handlers spreading the odor because, if that were the case, it would be distributed, at a minimum, throughout the floor. What could it be?

One of the younger of the 3 air handlers said it smelled somewhat like rotten citrus. What type of chemicals could be producing this smell? They took air samples to be tested back in Charleston. They checked air ducts for anything that could be lodged. The total costs were adding up...several thousand dollars this would cost. In the meantime, the young worker continued to sniff around the desk of Mancy. It seemed so strong there. Finally, he lifted an umbrella...and there sat a box. In the box sat the culprit.....Two rotten oranges and a half eaten donut.

Moral of the story: If you jump and complain and fight and be a nuisance, you will eventually reap the fruits of your labor.