This, you'll know, is why we don't allow students to eat, drink, or breath too deeply in our labs. It's also why staff shouldn't drink coffee, tea, or anything other than rehydration fluid on an IV line, at their desks. Mistakes happen. Usually because that coffee you're about to imbibe is so desperately needed by your body... (I don't know if there have been studies done on this, but I suspect 97.3% of cases involve the _first_ cup of morning coffee...) It's a lesson one has to learn, but the message is unambiguous - get up, leave your desk, have your coffee elsewhere. The break is as good for you as the coffee.
Fortunately my mistake wasn't too costly. For the very reasons that staff aren't trusted to keep their own offices clean, help was at hand. Noxolo, who's obviously seen more of this in her life than she's likely to admit, was there within seconds with a dry cloth to absorb, and then a damp cloth to wipe. Popping out the battery and the keyboard revealed smaller reservoirs which were dealt with in an instant. One can only imagine in awe how Noxolo would have handled the flooding in New Orleans!
My office is now clean, and unrecognisably tidy. The dulcet tones of David Byrne and Rufus Wainwright are now playing with Au Fond du Temple Saintand my fingers are once more caressing the keys of my iBook. And my eyes are fixed on the clock in the corner of my screen, counting down the minutes until my next coffee fix - outside my office!