When Karen M., a 42-year-old graphic designer from Leeds, submitted a helpdesk ticket last Thursday, the technicians expected the usual “forgot my password” or “printer won’t print” complaints. Instead, they were treated to a genuinely baffling dilemma: Karen had been wearing what she thought was a face mask for the past two hours—only to realize it was actually a pizza box lid.
According to the detailed helpdesk ticket, Karen described experiencing “increasing confusion and mild panic” after colleagues started giving her odd looks during a video call. “I was wondering why the mask felt so stiff and why I could smell pepperoni through it,” she typed. “It wasn’t until my boss said, ‘Karen, is that a quarter-inch thick protective mask?’ that I realized something was very wrong.”
The ticket went on to describe how Karen’s busy morning included a rushed trip to the corner shop where she bought a diet soda and a pizza to celebrate her finally getting a handle on remote work. It appears in the chaos, Karen mistakenly grabbed the pizza box lid, thinking it was her newly purchased reusable cloth mask stored nearby.
Helpdesk technician Paul B. recalled the incident vividly, saying, “When she called the helpdesk, she was convinced her webcam was malfunctioning because her face “was so wide and shiny.” After a brief video call to assess the situation (and steady herself), we reassured her she wasn’t turning into a Transformer but suggested maybe it was time for a quick coffee break instead of tech troubleshooting.”
Karen eventually removed the pizza box lid, revealing her actual face beneath, slightly tomato-sauced but otherwise unharmed. “I always thought masks made me look a little silly,” she remarked later, “but this was a whole new level of ridiculous.”
The helpdesk ticket concluded with Karen pleading for advice on how to avoid mixing up pizza packaging with personal protective equipment in the future. The team gently recommended labeling all face masks—and pizza boxes.
No word yet on whether Karen plans to incorporate the pizza box lid into her next work-from-home fashion statement.