In trouble at work- over a quiche

[Coffeandtoast]

Good morning

So on Friday we had a little gathering in the office at work. We all agreed to take in various food items and my contribution was quiches and sausage rolls.

so I took four quiches. At the end of the gathering there was one whole quiche left unopened.we agreed that we’d just share out the untouched food

I said that I’d just take the unopened quiche as we would eat it at home. In then comes Patricia, an older woman who I generally find quite difficult to work with. She’s self opinionated and knows everything. I generally try hard to get on with her but she’s a massive PITA. So she said something along the lines of “ you can’t just take the quiche until we’ve discussed who’s taking what” . I explained that I wasn’t to fussed about any of it and that she could just take the quiche, she carried on with her chuntering and huffing and puffing at me. So this is where it went pear shaped, I just snapped and shouted- “ just take the cunting quiche, Patricia”

it’s all kicked off and I have a HR meeting tomorrow regarding my foul language!!!!

Haha! We’ve all worked with A Patricia….

From an HR perspective you need to reiterate that you were describing the quiche (because you were) and it was not directed AT Patricia.

Accept it was unprofessional, say it won’t happen again and how you can ensure it doesn’t happen again (you were at your limit, time of year, stress at work, home etc and won’t be again) and say you’ll apologise to those offended by the language.

Depending on how seriously your company takes things like this you may get a warning but hopefully it’ll just be a ‘don’t do it again’.

Apologise to the quiche

Where is the laughing emoji!

And mine. I hear that or worse multiple times an hour.

So its not about a quiche at all is it? Just your foul language and aggressive behaviour towards a colleague who likely is a PITA but doesnt deserve your agression

cough

It's very easy for the word 'country' to be misheard or for the tongue to slip. https://www.food.com/recipe/country-ham-quiche-180387

As I confessed above, I genuinely told an entire class of Scottish schoolchildren that they were getting 'keech'* for lunch instead of saying 'quiche'.

Etymologically related to the word "khaki". It means "excrement".

No need to be snarky at what was what intended to be humour. FYI I'm over 60.

“Just take the cunting quiche **Patricia”

I think it may be my New Year’s resolution to fit that into a conversation this year.
I’ll report back if I manage to.

I would apologise and say you were pushed to the edge of your patience plus you are under stress at home with something you try not to bring into work but the passive aggressive behaviour of Patricia over a quiche was simply too much to bear -after all, we all have a breaking point don’t we!

** I may have to use a different name,

You could also claim to have Tourette’s

(apologies in advance if this causes offence to actual sufferers)

At Christmas it can be adapted to all sorts of scenarios:-

Just take the last cunting roastie, Uncle Jim!

Just watch whatever cunting film you want, auntie June!

Sounds like a happy and pleasant Yuletide round at yours.

It made me laugh.

Not to mention hilarious 😊

Many on here don’t get jokes. Unless you meant it as a joke and I’m the one who has a humour bypass?

Aw we had buffet gate a few weeks back!

It was my day off so missed the shenanigans but 2 departments I work with had a lunch with a sales rep (happens every so often with a company both departments use). There’s always too much food and it used to be stored at work to have a second lunch the following day. A colleague from 1 department started moving food into the fridge in the staff room and came back after 1 load to find colleagues from the other department had filled cooler bags with the rest of the leftovers and taking it away to share out amongst only there department! Apparently words were had over a cheesecake.

Bloody ridiculous but hilarious that grown adults can be so greedy & petty.

I don’t think it’s a huge deal - especially if you write down everytime Patricia has been also been difficult with you to take to HR. You will need to be clear with HR that “I apologise for my use of foul language, I realise that is very inappropriate in a workplace and I will be aware of that in the future”. Note this isn’t exactly the same as apologising to Patricia though 🤣 HR will then be aware that it’s just a clash of personalities - it doesn’t sound like you’ve been bullying the woman or anything, just that you finally snapped!

Being difficult is not the same as using obscene language.

So you think being difficult and going on and on about something until the person it’s directed at snaps is OK ?

“Going on” and it was the person reminding OP that actually, as an office they had agreed they’d be sharing the food. Swearing at someone, in a work context, is not acceptable.

I can't believe HR would waste time on this. Surely the OP's manager should deal with it if Patricia complained.

If it isn't just the OP showing off and trying to be amusing of course - I did only read up to this point.

Eeek! I'm not surprised HR are involved to be honest. The C word is considered much worse than the F word - and neither should be used in the workplace (well you might get away with it, on a building site, with lots of blokes!). You will have to hold your hands up, and say you used the word, but it was directed at the quiche, rather than Patricia. You didn't personally call her the C word. Yes, expect to be given a warning.

You said a bad word! 😮 She was a cunt. She wouldn't shut the fuck up.

I know the type. There's an opinion on everything, and everyone has to listen to it.

Was anyone else in earshot besides Patricia?
I'd just deny the C word if not and swear blind you said 'Just take a cut of the Quiche Patricia', or just cut the Quiche Patricia' or similar. You shouldn't have used that word obviously but l get it, worked with a few Patricia's in my time. If you'd said it without a swear word she wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

It's worse.

I’d be telling HR that Patricia’s hearing is sadly getting worse as I clearly said “take the Country Quiche Patricia”. 🤷🏻‍♀️