I haven't tried to work out specifically why the deadlock would occur in your case but it seems as though you are effectively using a table as a queue in which case see this linked article for an approach that uses the OUTPUT clause and locking hints to maximise concurrency without deadlocks.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.