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Baton Rouge, LA - Janitor Joseph"Smitty"
Smith died Thursday, despite assurances during a festive New
Year's Eve office party that he would see everyone the following
year.
"At first it was really annoying," admitted Marge
Holstrom, a secretary at the Balfour Packing Company where
Smith had worked for about 2 years. "He kept going up
to me and saying 'see you next year,' even though it was just
a couple of minutes before midnight. Then he died. I don't
know what happened. He seemed so absolutely sure he would
see us again next year."
Other party goers admit they were confused by Smith's joke
and weren't sure if he was referring to the actual
new year right after midnight or the following year's office
party, when they would again be forced to socialize with the
menial labor.
"Yeah, he kept saying it over and over again,"
Balfour financial officer Jim Ashford said. "Then right
after midnight, he was still saying it. I'm not sure
at this point if he was trying to be funny or just stupid.
I have to admit, at the time, I did sort of wish he would
die."
According to the Baton Rouge Coroner's office, Smith died
of unknown causes, sometime between January 1st and February
10th. No foul play is suspected, despite testimony from more
than a dozen coworkers indicating they wished he would either
get fired or die before work the following Monday.
Smitty was known for his lively wit, dancing skills and ability
to speak like an entry in a high school yearbook.
"Even though I never really spoke to him, every time
passed me in the hall, he'd say, 'don't do anything I wouldn't
do'," Ashford said. "Or sometimes he would point
at me and say 'don't go changing.' So the 'see you next year'
comment was just more of the same.
Added Ashford, "Yeah, I can't really say I'm sorry he's
dead."
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