The building where I work is four stories high and is shaped like the number 8. In the empty spaces in the middle are nice little park like areas with trees, bushes, flowers, gravel strewn walking paths and stone benches. Windows look in on these idyllic areas on all sides of every floor.

To all appearances there is no way to get into them. There are no doors to them. None of the windows in the building open, including the first floor windows where these gardens are located. I've been confounded by this since I started working here. The grounds are tended, bushes trimmed, paths cleared - obviously maintenance people are getting in there. I figured I was missing some obvious ingress and have been casually searching for them for a month. How do people get into these micro parks?

Today I discovered the answer. The maintenance people lower a scaffolding from the roof, much like the window-washer scaffolds on skyscrapers. There really is absolutely no way for people to get into these park areas. They are faux paths, unused and unusable.

Why in the world would they go through the trouble of creating and maintaining these areas while keeping everybody out? What brilliant architect came up with this idea? "Oh, I've got a good one! We'll put little park areas in the center of the building. Trees, bushes, flowers, bird baths, nice paths and benches to sit on - people love stuff like that. But to limit maintenance costs we won't let anybody get to them. That way we don't have to worry about litter and things like that."

With all of the rampantly moronic things I've seen in my life you'd think that new evidence of professional grade stupidity would cease to shock me. Fortunately I retain my childlike wonder that people can be this dumb and continue to function.