can I borrow it JUST to use it and never return it

[pettywitchinlondon]

Yes I'm being petty. But I'm really getting pissed off with people at work borrowing my stuff and then I have yo go and chase them to get it back.

It just makes me look petty and posesive, but its annoying when I want something of my own that isn't in my desk.

Am I the only one that is aware when I borrow something to use it quickly and return it to whoever it belongs to?

Sometimes I feel like the only person that ever thinks of others.

[PureMorning]

I've seen the best end of tether response to this.

A few years back guy at work went in eArly and took every single item off of the desk of everyone whose borrowed his stuff he left big notice on their work space saying they would get the stuff back when he got his stuff back.

He just got sick of lending pens,files, pricey work stuff he had to buy himself.

It was a great day lots of angry people slinking over full of anger and him just blanking them till he got stuff back.
One lady refused to give back the computer mouse she borrowed and it went on for two days, her sat at her empty desk looking hard done by.
Day two he took her chair so she had to replace whatever she had lost.

Our boss was away while this happened and a few people complained but he just told them to stop stealing other people's stuff first.

[helenahandbag]

YANBU, I have a really good stapler and everyone else in the office has cottoned on to this so it goes "walkies" off my desk and I find it two days later down the side of the photocopier, etc.

I realise I sound a bit mad but it has been two years now, it gets a bit wearing!

[pettywitchinlondon]

Oh no you don't sound mad.

I'm going stabby with things going missing from my desk. I was raging earlier to finally find my stapler on the side with all its staples used up. Who does this?

[MaxPepsi]

I had something similar, however it was glass I took into work.

I don't drink hot drinks so always have water. The plastic cups/small glasses were just not enough for me so I went out and bought myself a really nice big glass.

I was on flexi so sometimes I would arrive later than most people. Every sodding week someone would take my glass, despite knowing it was mine, as they were thirsty, on a health kick etc etc.

And each and every time I would search the office, find it and remove it. Throwing away the contents as I went, not over heads unfortunately.

I looked a loon but I didn't give a shit. It was MY glass!

[GrannyWeatherwax2015]

I once sent the team I work with an email declaring a pen amnesty. I had to buy my one and a pack of 12wouldnt last a week as they kept lifting the pens off my desk. A few were returned and the worst offender bought me a full pack. I felt incredibly petty but it was costing me fortune!

Thinking about sending a 'please leave my desk as you find it' email next .

[GrannyWeatherwax2015]

One? Own!

[MustShowDH]

YANBU

This is why people resort to writing their names on things with tipex!
I've even been tempted to get packs of personalised stationery like you give kids when they start school in September!

[ApprenticeViper]

YANBU!

I hate things going missing off my desk. I have painted my initials in tippex on my calculator, ruler and stapler. I have a calendar made up of photos of a place I like to go on holiday, it means nothing to anyone else, yet that went walkabout the other week Yet I'm made out to be the petty one when I ask for it back. "Oh, it's only a calendar!" to which my response was "Yeah, it is ONLY a calendar, so go and buy your frickin own!"

[RackofPeas]

Yanbu. This is why I don't loan anyone anything any more. It either doesn't come back at all or comes back damaged or dirty.
Reminds me of a friend who leant someone his step ladder and it was not returned. He asked politely but still it did not come back.
Many years later he was moving house and another friend was helping him. They needed a stepladder so the friend said - no problem you can borrow mine.
It was the original stepladder he had loaned out years before. He decided to 'forget' to give it back to the friend who helped him move.

[User543212345]

I just don't lend things anymore, because they either don't come back or I have to chase and chase in order to get it back, and then inevitably they don't come back in the condition they were sent out. So now when people ask I say no, and I'm sure they think I'm truly petty but I am sick of subsidising other people/paying for things to be ruined. When I was at work I operated a clear desk policy and kept everything locked in my drawer so people couldn't help themselves, which they would when I leave things out. They wouldn't hear that it wasn't borrowing - it was stealing.