Story highlights The bipartisan senators met to figure out a way to pass a funding bill

A senator forcefully delivered the stick and chipping Collins' glass elephant

Washington (CNN) During bipartisan talks between senators to discuss passing a funding bill to end the government shutdown, Sen. Susan Collins whose office was being used for the negotiations, figured out a civil way to create discussion.

Collins, R-Maine, introduced her fellow colleagues to using a talking stick during discussions, multiple senators told CNN.

Whoever was holding the stick was the only senator allowed to talk -- to prevent cross-talking.

One Republican senator describing the incident told CNN the stick was successful, but on one occasion, one of the other senators was speaking while another asked a question and then turned with another quick, longer, louder question. The member who was holding the stick "forcefully delivered" the stick across the room -- but it missed its mark and caused damage to a shelf in Collins' office.

A glass elephant sitting on a shelf owned by Collins became the casualty, with the stick chipping it a little bit.

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