To ask for my mouse mat back?

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

Cringing at myself as I don’t know what to do.

First day from maternity leave. When I left a year ago I removed all my personal things for my cover apart from my mouse mat which was gifted to me and I quite like. Back today at my desk, the cover is staying on and has been moved to another desk in my office and has taken the mat worh her. I miss my mat. I like my mat. But I cringe at the thought of saying out loud: Hey it’s my mat and I really like it do you mind if I have it back. If I don’t do it today it’s going to be too late. I think I’ll just have to lump it won’t I because I cannot be THAT petty.

[Talcott2007]

Is it special ergonomic one? If so you could ask along the lines of 'needing' it back? I'd feel the same though and not say anything and be silently consumped by rage forever...

[lechhy]

Can you not take in another (cheap) mat and ask to swap it over on grounds that the first one was a gift? Problem solved and everyone happy.

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

It isn’t ergonomic just pretty and it was a gift from a friend I won’t see any time soon. It does have useful things printed on it (keyboard abbreviations for designers) but I can’t claim they would be useful to me.

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

lecchy that’s a good idea but then it will have to wait a few days until I can procure the cheap one.

[GreasyFryUp]

Maybe find out what she's interested in and buy her a mat to match. Nice thing to do, she's probably oblivious to the fact it's your mat.

[ElfAndSafetyBored]

It being a gift from a friend allows you to ask for it back I think.

[TERFragetteCity]

Just say loudly 'ooh has any one seen the purple mouse mat that Julie got me?'

[CarefullyDrawnMap]

Go over to her desk, often, and keep glancing at it, pointedly.

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

Right I just ordered one on Amazon Prime, £2.50 and I’ll cringe less when I ask for my mat back, really nice idea to be able to offer replacement. Thank you for being so wise

[Oldraver]

Just go to her desk and say in a surprised way

"Oh my mouse mat, so pleased you have looked after it for me, it was a present and I thought I had lost it"...Gush a bit

[Curtainshopping]

It being a gift from a friend allows you to ask for it back I think.

This. Just be honest and say ‘I feel like a twat asking but it was a gift from a friend so I’m kind of attached to it’

Then bring her in a replacement one with a little bow stuck on as soon as you can.

[Jammycustard]

Get the new mat then go into work early and swap them.

[Jaxhog]

Say you thought it was lost or you would have taken it with you on mat leave. (Which you should have!)

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

jaxhog that’s why I was cringing, I should have taken it with me along with my other things but I didn’t want to leave her matless.

[BlueSapp]

You should just say out loud, has anyone seen my mat? and let everyone look around, and then say oh there it is thanks! and lift it.

Same thing happened with my stapler and punch but we all put our initials on the bottom of them when we started so no one else could pinch them.

[blackteasplease]

Go over and just ask her. Say it was a gift. No problem at all!

[SaucyJack]

Just be honest. Any elaborate cover story will just make you look weirder and even more awkward.

[ikeepaforkinmypurse]

please don't be cringey or passive aggressive. Just go and ask her, as above explain it was a gift and could you swap with the one you ordered from Amazon have.

Some posters advice are...odd to say the least.

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

Curtains has a good opening sentence for you. It acknowledges the embarrassment and the sentimental attachment nice and easily.

Just take a deep breath and go for it!

[CarefullyDrawnMap]

My suggestion was supposed to be a joke, by the way (obviously not a very good one )

[RavenLG]

I agree with honesty over the whole "has anyone seen my mat?" charade! It's nice you bought her a new mat, just go up and say, sorry but the mat was a gift from a friend, I've bought this so you don't have to go without. If i was the cover I'd be a bit embarrassed I took someone mousemat tbh. If it's pretty and clearly personal it's obviously yours.

[amusedbush]

[Marriedwithchildren5]

I'd just go with 'ah my mouse mat' and take it Its a nice thought to give her another one though.

[KitKat1985]

I think I'd just go up to her and say outright 'I'm sorry if this sounds silly but can I have my mousemat back, as it was a gift from a friend, and I forgot to take it with me when I went on maternity leave'. I think any cover stories are going to look weird.