If you’ve worked in a corporate office before, you’ve likely come across someone who continues to be employed there despite seeming to do no work at all.

One former coworker of mine seemed to have an endless supply of one-liners that masterfully deflected work while leaving his facade of competence untarnished.  Over time, I began to associate him with the Melville short story Bartleby the Scrivener in my mind.  I also started to keep a list of his work-defying quips.

After a while, I felt strongly that ALL workers EVERYWHERE should have access to this magical power, and thus the idea of the Bartleby the 8 Ball Android app was born: A device, much like the Magic 8 Ball, that produces a suitable retort whenever someone comes at you with unpleasant work to do.