Odd incident with colleague

[RainIsAGoodThing]

Last night a colleague gave me a lift home from a talk we both had to attend (I KNOW, on a FRIDAY night).

I've worked with this man for about 2 years now, and we've always got on well professionally. He's about 20 years older than me, married and has a child of about 1.

He often offers me lifts home from work things after hours, because we live reasonably close and I think he has fatherly concerns about young women wandering the streets after dark, etc. Fine. Sometimes I accept, sometimes I don't. Yesterday I did as it was raining

I've had a mild cold for about a week. He definitely knows this as I may have, ahem, mentioned it moaned non stop for the whole week. I didn't take any time off though as its mild and I can't be taking time off for every sniffle. I know some people think you should stay off in order to not spread germs around, but I'd probably face a disciplinary if I took time off every time I was under the weather.

Anyway. So we're driving along, and suddenly I sneeze. Not a disgusting snotty one but a reasonably normal, averagely loud sneeze.

He turns to me deadly serious and says: 'if you give me an illness that spreads to my child, I will fucking knock your teeth down your throat'.

That was that - we weren't far from my house so we said goodbye perfectly normally and off I went. But I've been thinking about it today and AIBU to think that's a really bloody odd thing to say to a colleague you've offered a lift to?!?

[UterusUterusGhali]

Urgh.
He wasn't joking?
That's pretty chilling if not.

[DaisyAdair]

That is very odd and I wouldn't be accepting lifts home from him again!

[katemiddletonsnudeheels]

Gosh how horrible

[RainIsAGoodThing]

I don't know what to think. He said it deadly seriously. I looked at him when he said it and kind of waited for a sign it was a joke, but nothing!

[ZorbaTheHoarder]

What he said was extremely aggressive and disproportionate and I think that you should have as little as possible to do with him from now on.

Seriously, who speaks to a colleague (or anyone else) like that?

[yorkshapudding]

I would be making sure I wasn't alone with him again, either in a car or anywhere else.

[Shakey15000]

Fucking hell. I'd not be going anywhere near him now never mind being on my own with him.

[Miloarmadillo1]

Odd and aggressive. Any extenuating circumstances? My daughter had medication that made her v immunosuppressed, a cold could have landed her in ICU v easily and I was a bit nuts over keeping her germ free, but I managed not to threaten anyone

[Groovee]

I would be keeping my distance.

[ScarlettDarling]

Wow. Utterly bizarre comment. I'd feel really uncomfortable with him after that tbh and I'd not be accepting any more lifts, no matter how heavy the rain.

[FutureGadgetsLab]

I'd stay away from the asshole.

[BeautifulMaudOHara]

Weirdo alert, definitely

[gaggiagirl]

Never. Ever. Be alone with him again. Very aggressive and completely unreasonable reaction from him there

[camtt]

strange - he knew you had a cold so if he's that bothered why offer a lift? Maybe more likely that he did intend it as a joke but didn't quite pitch it right.

[Believeitornot]

I was expecting you to say he'd made a move on you!

Bloody hell. What a strange man. Avoid.

[LittleNelle]

I'd put in a complaint at work.

[RainIsAGoodThing]

I don't think there are any extenuating circumstances. He certainly hasn't mentioned any, although of course he shouldn't have to. But why invite me into the car in that case?! I certainly didn't ask! It's quite a short walk and one I'm used to doing.

[gamerchick]

No more lifts man. i think I would be having a word with my boss as well about attending things together.

[Justmeagain78]

That was very aggressive language, even for a joke. Please keep your distance from this man now.

[topcat2014]

Very wierd. We call each other things like 'typhoid mary' when we all start sneezing at work - but generally in good humour.

This seems way beyond normal to me.

[MeLittleDuckie]

He was obviously way out of line, however I'm going to go against the grain and suggest he's not a weirdo, just a parent who's had it with the hell of babies with colds. After weeks and weeks of sleepless nights due to me and DS both having seemingly never-ending colds and coughs I can totally understand his over-sensitivity. That would have been exactly what I thought whenever someone sneezed near me right after we got over our snot-a-thon, but I wouldn't have gone so far as to say it. Maybe his snot-a-thon was worse than ours!

[SavoyCabbage]

I would do absolutely everything to avoid him in the future.

[RoboticSealpup]

But, Duckie, he didn't have to offer her a lift.

[PinkParsnips]

What the hell?!

Avoid him like the plague in future op.
No excuse for that whatsoever.

[PiePiePie]

Weirdo. And no, there's no way that was just exasperation bursting out. That is a specific and graphic threat. I can understand a stressed-out parent bursting out "Oh for fuck's sake, DON'T give me a cold!" and then feeling awkward and apologising. His silence afterwards sounds chilling. He was boundary testing you. Stay well away from him.