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AIBU?

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Was I rude? To have told her to stop hinting and just ask me directly....

389 replies

Newuser1234567 · 17/12/2019 21:39

New poster here. Long time lurker though.

I'd consider myself good friends with one of my colleagues. We met through work a couple of years back and don't meet up too much but often chat at lunch break and occasionally grab a coffee together.

She is really nice, but she is a massive hinter! To the point where it is actually annoying. For example, we take our own lunch to work, sometimes I bring some jaffa cakes or something to have with my lunch. Usually I offer her one as I know she likes them. However if I don't offer or she wants another one she will sit there and stare at them with longing eyes like my labrador does. She'll make comments about being really hungry because she didn't bring much for lunch, with a pointed glance at my food. She won't actually ask though. This happens on a pretty regular basis and isn't the only example of her hinting.

I may have been a bit rude today and am feeling guilty. I'm not having a great time anyway, XH hasn't paid maintenance yet again (!!!) so am a bit stressed trying to sort that out, DS has been off sick too much this year and I've had a not very polite letter off the school. So I'm quite stressed and was a bit snappy with her today.

Basically I can get to and from work via her house. Not the quickest way but it works. She came into work this morning huffing and puffing saying the car wouldn't start and she had had to get the bus in. Fair enough, I sympathised with her, not great when that sort of thing happens.

Come lunch break she is strongly hinting that she wants a lift home, saying she doesn't know if she has enough money for the bus fare, with pointed glances at me, going on google maps and calculating that it would take her 43 minutes to walk back, etc. Looking at me the entire time. With sad dog eyes and everything.

This is where I was definitely BU, I was a bit fed up by this point and said 'look if you want a lift please just ask me for god's sake. I really hate when you hint at me. If you want something ask'

She looked a bit put out but did say she wanted a lift, which I did for her. I got a text from another colleague a few minutes ago saying she's a bit upset I 'had a go at her' in the staffroom, and she thinks it was a bit out of order. Admittedly other people were there and I wasn't that quiet. I feel really bad about upsetting her, is an apology enough or should I do something else?

OP posts:
PixieDustt · 17/12/2019 22:19

Urgh I hate hinters.
YANBU. Plus if she's hungry being more food!

DonKeyshot · 17/12/2019 22:19

So she's not just a hinter, she''s an ungrateful little shit stirrer otherwise there wouldn't be 'another colleague' fighting her supposed battles for her AFTER you'd given her a lift.

Do NOT apologise to her. Ignore the other colleague's remarks and if you want to take the wind out of both their sails, presupposing you have the hinter's number, why not offer her a lift in the morning or at least ask if she's managed to get her car sorted?

Cornishclio · 17/12/2019 22:18

She sounds incredibly annoying and this would put me off ever doing her favours again. Is she just targeting you with hints re food and lifts or do other colleagues get this "poor me" whingeing? Going behind your back and bad mouthing you to other colleagues would determine I would never do her favours again or you will never get her to stop.

Thelnebriati · 17/12/2019 22:17

Hinting the way she does it is passive aggressive, she is being unreasonable.

Mrsmadevans · 17/12/2019 22:17

She sounds like a right PITA OP , don't give her anything in future let her get on with it. She isn't a child.

Expat1986 · 17/12/2019 22:15

Why would you apologise?!

I hate hinters they drive me crackers.

I've spent the last few years saying to my kids "use your words"... "so what do you want to ask me" etc etc etc

You agreed to the lift when she eventually asked for it. So all sorted.

Ignore all future hints - she's not a child and can formulate a question.

QueenoftheBiscuitTin · 17/12/2019 22:15

I don't think you were out of order at all. She sounds incredibly tiresome and you weren't even rude. If you apologise for that non event, she'll just keep doing it.

VanyaHargreeves · 17/12/2019 22:14

The other people over hearing you snap isn't great

BUT

I know exactly what you mean by big wide eyed hinting and it's so rude and annoying in general and worse when someone has eaten their own meal or pudding and is greedily eyeing up yours

A guy at uni was like that. He wasn't a looker, and his greedy Bruce Bogtrotter piggy eyes made him even more repulsive.

SunshineCake · 17/12/2019 22:12

Oh god don't say what Littlemeadow said Hmm.

gamerchick · 17/12/2019 22:08

Do not apologise, it won't end... Ever.

Littlemeadow123 · 17/12/2019 22:07

While she sounds irritating, if you want to maintain a good relationship with her maybe offer an apology. Something along the lines of

"Really sorry about earlier. I've been having a bad week and I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you,".

Loveislandaddict · 17/12/2019 22:06

Who thought it was out of order, the hinter or other colleague?

If the hinter, I wouldn’t do anything. Just write it off as one of those moments.

If it was the colleague, then maybe say something along the lines of the above poster, ie. apologise for snapping, but not for what you said.

GoodDogBellaBoo · 17/12/2019 22:03

So basically in the end you gave her what she wanted, and you are the one feeling guilty and are apologizing?... Really? Confused

whiskersonkittenss · 17/12/2019 22:01

I can't stand hinters. I feel very manipulated by them and refuse to engage unless they ask me for something outright. She sounds irritating.

lottiegarbanzo · 17/12/2019 22:01

Don't say a thing. Let it settle. She's annoyed you publicly many times by hinting at you. Maybe she'll stop it now. If you're very lucky!

amijustparanoidorjuststoned · 17/12/2019 22:00

You have done absolutely nothing wrong OP.

My BIL is like this. He is very immature for his age (30!) and there is a suspected undiagnosed ASD. One time my husband and I ordered a takeaway and BIL turned up unannounced, which was absolutely fine. BIL stared at me the entire time whilst I was finishing my last couple of slices of pizza, with the sad puppy dog eyes, and I had to call him out on it because it was extremely rude and quite off putting.

This woman needs to get a grip.

fedup21 · 17/12/2019 22:00

She sounds like a nightmare.

I wouldn’t have snapped at her but I wouldn’t have offered her a lift/Jaffa cake either! Head tilt, awww and look disinterested next time.

Bluntness100 · 17/12/2019 21:58

Nah, she's behaving badly. She's hinting, taking and now bad mouthing uou.

Don't apologise. She needs to learn to behave and be an adult.

Blowandgo · 17/12/2019 21:57

@NoSquirrels exactly!!!!

NoSquirrels · 17/12/2019 21:57

You gave her a bloody lift what more does she want??

She wanted OP to offer, so that she could feel valued, or special in some way. She wants the OP to offer to share her Jaffa cakes because she wants to feel like OP cares for her. I would bet my life she never offers to share her own stuff with OP, however...

Stayawayfromitsmouth · 17/12/2019 21:57

I can't believe you give her your lunch. She sounds fucking irritating.

Blacksackunderthetreesfreeze · 17/12/2019 21:56

I can’t stand hinters either. I also say the same to the kids as a pp has said.

senua · 17/12/2019 21:56

I got a text from another colleague a few minutes ago saying she's a bit upset I 'had a go at her' in the staffroom, and she thinks it was a bit out of order.
Haha. She's compounding the problem. Can't ask direct questions and then doesn't grumble to your face either!Grin

Queenoftheashes · 17/12/2019 21:53

You gave her a bloody lift what more does she want??

Haffiana · 17/12/2019 21:53

Meh. She hinted to the work colleague that she wanted her to tell you that she was upset...

Don't feel bad.