Generic Fake Hello

(Office chatter in the background...)
the espresso machine is cranking again
the smell of pepperoni pizza fills the air

midafternoon coffee break...

my mind wandered
while staring at the spreadsheet
only to be distracted
by the fake "Hello, How are you?"
from someone I hardly knew
I turned around to give my reply
but he was already on his way
to the next man's cubicle
and  was greeting him
with the same "Hello, How are you?"

His generic, fake "Hello.."

Oh well,
I smiled and got back to what I was doing
staring at my spreadsheet
and trying to be profound
instead, I opened MS word
and wrote a poem.