The Curious Case of the Missing Coffee Mugs — A Bengaluru Office Mystery

In the buzzing tech corridors of Bengaluru, amid daily meetings, missed deadlines and confused clients from four time zones away a scandal was brewing : No, it wasn’t just the filter coffee.

It all started when Priya from HR walked into the pantry one Tuesday morning with agitation in her eyes and an empty hand and said “My ‘Drama Queen’ coffee mug is gone,”

Now, this wasn’t just any cup. It was her signature mug—hot pink, glitter letters, and slightly cracked from that time she banged it during a team call when Rohan said “circle back” for the fifth time. Everyone froze. You don't or rather never mess with Priya’s stuff.

Naturally, the office erupted into chaos.

The Theories Began.

Harish from Finance suggested that it was a cleanliness initiative gone wrong. (“They did say they were cleaning and decluttering the pantry… “)

Keerti from admin whispered it was black magic. (She also blamed the planets and on karma.)

Jacob from IT blamed the interns. “They drink coffee, tea in paper cups; this generation doesn’t understand emotional attachment.” (Cryptic)

Operation “Coffee mug search” was launched. I took photos of the cup shelf daily. A small motion sensor was installed near the sink. I even placed cups that said, “Free Mugs – Please Take Me”.  And then one evening, I got the ping.

Location: Stationery Room.

I stealthily stepped in and there was a stash of cups surrounded by paper and other stationary items and bunch of stolen mugs. Thirty-two cups in total. And sitting beside them calm as a cucumber was Amit from procurement, sipping chai from Priya’s mug and watching cricket on his phone.

I gasped. “Amit?!” He blinked. “Oh… I didn’t think anyone used them. They were just lying around.”

Lying around?! Amit had turned our cups into his personal collection.

Word spread. Priya launched a full-blown investigation. Shweta cried happy tears. Vinod forgave Amit after he promised to bring vada pav the next day. Justice was served.

And me? I switched to drinking water from my water bottle. Too many emotions in that pantry.

Moral of the story:

In Indian offices there are two things you guard with your life your water bottle and your coffee mug. And if one goes missing always check the stationery room.