Scientific observations prove that whenever someone mentions something about any type of (or what could be interpreted as) 'work', people in the area undergo certain behavioral changes. The phenomenon usually begins with a grimace, and glazing over of the eyes, often followed by a slight tilting of the head, accompanied by a remarkable camouflage effect, as the person fades from perception (not unlike the effect seen in "Predators" movies?). In group situations, there is some shifting of the eyes towards those who might be seen as being lower down the hill (yes, shit does travel with gravity), or further down the pecking order--This is referred to as the 'shared diffusion of responsibility effect'. Eye movements also tend to go down and to the right, as prospective victims search desperately for any (non-veridical) version of why they simply cannot find the time or spare the effort. It is amazing how busy everyone truly was, given that just seconds before, it was all 'smoke and joke' around the water cooler. Vocalizations range from a simple " Well, ummm..." to sighs of desperation.
The respective behavioral manifestations, and outcomes, may be a true measure of intelligence and success; those failing to 'disappear', or whose generated responses are lame or inadequate are often saddled with the task at hand. Avoidance is the desired outcome, and only the most adept can succeed. Unfortunately, it is unclear whether the skill is learned or innate. Often those lacking the gene[s] and/or the experience can be counted on by the masters to fail in serial fashion, thereby assuring very little work actually befalls the best. Regardless, the end result is that only the most foolish and unskilled in the art of dodging 'work' end up doing most of it. It's akin to the Darwinian principles. Everyone knows that those who do the least amount of actual work are the highest-paid (and most respected) individuals, in any given cohort.
Going back to the whole 'nature vs nurture' theme, some individuals appear to have evolved an uncanny ability to disappear, and/or otherwise evade the whole 'work' thing. For example, one of my sons (who shall remain nameless [lol]) showed early, and uncanny, manifestation of the camouflage effect in any given work-related event. However, this was often true in any given situation, so it may not be a byproduct of learning. Nevertheless, saying 'to pull a Patrick' is widely-recognized as a successful work-dodge effect, at least in our familial setting. Good job, son! < I'm so proud of him> On the other hand, a buddy of mine from the military was so good at dodging any kind of duty that he was nicknamed 'Shamost', because, well, he shammed the most (and, coincidentally, it rhymed with his surname). Man, he must've practiced the art for years to be so damn good. I'm not sure the man ever did anything besides sham out--(yeah, leaving the rest of 'us' to do the w-o-r-k...). He had all the moves, man...
