To want to kill my colleague

[MTBMummy]

I know this is really petty, but it's really bugging me

I struggle occasionally with keeping on top of my admin, so bought some stationary to help me prioritise and mark off my list of things to do, one of the items was a pack of new coloured pens - quite expensive ones at that.

Anyway colleague asked on Friday if I had a pen he could borrow to help with similar tasks and I offered him one of mine, and asked him to just pop it back on my desk when he was done.

So this morning, I notice he's still using it, and has chewed not only the end and the cap but the entire length of the pen too - I know I am being precious but it really annoys me. I definitely don't want this pen back, but but I look like a total freak if I ask him to replace it?

Maybe a teensy weensy overreaction. It is just a pen... That said, I love stationery too and would be said if something nice I'd bought for myself had been ruined like that.

Buy yourself a new one, chalk it up to experience and don't lend out your naice stationery to colleagues again.

He chewed your new pen?? That is unforgivable. Do you need any help hiding the body? I'm good with a shovel...

Pick something up off his desk and bite it - his phone or his sandwich, or anything really. And if he says something just say 'Oh, I thought that was okay - because, y'know... with my pen...?' (This is why I work from home - alone )

Did he know it was your pen or did he just think it was an office pen?? Why aren't your company supplying the stationary, all sounds very wierd to me....no way would I buy stationary out of my own money to use at work....isn't it supposed to be the other way round, the perks of office work and all that :)

Anyway, yes you will look like a loon if you ask him to replace it, just keep it in your drawer and don't lend him anymore.

YANBU, as a fellow stationary lover, I feel your pain.

I have a very nice fountain pen I use at work, hardly anyone asks to borrow it and I can quite happily say no, with it being a fountain pen and all! I used to use gel pens and would often get asked to borrow One. I rarely got them back and used to visibly bristle when I'd come back after leave and see other staff using one of my pens

I know I'm slightly bonkers but I hate writing with cheap biro's of the ilk work provide and go to some expense to ensure I don't have to.

I love the suggestion of taking a bite out of his sandwich! Or a sip of his coffee or something.

Don't chew my stuff and I won't chew yours.

Can you secretly borrow it back and paint it with the stuff to stop nail biting before popping it back on his desk?

That's disgusting! I don't really get the chewing pens thing anyway, but who borrows someone else's to chew?! Definitely take a bite out of his sandwich!

say "excuse me, is that my pen youre chewing? I thought I asked you to put it back afterwards as it was an expensive one"

Innocently and cheerfully say "Can I have my pen back please? I bought them myself, they were pricey, and now I need it."
Then see his face go purple as he tries to think how he can explain that he's kept AND ruined it!

Hmmm - eyes up his desk... sadly only his laptop is there and I know I'd be considered really weird taking a bite out of that

We get really cheap crappy stationary at work, and I hate using biros that are thick and stop working, so invested in some nice stuff for myself, I used to think I was a bit odd, but it's nice to see other people are also protective of their stationary. Had he just asked for a normal pen, I would have happily palmed him off with a crappy one, but he specifically asked for one of my nice ones.

Ah well lesson learned, will definitely not be sharing again

Although will ask him for it back, just to watch him squirm [evil]

While I happily used most of the stationery available at work, I did used to have a fountain pen of my own with me, because I found writing with biros makes my hands ache and with fountain pens they don't.

No way would I ever lend a fountain pen to someone else.

Just stab him to death with the pen.

I hope he apologises and offers to replace it.

Seriously, kill him. That would give me the rage.

I have Beautiful Pens at work. No one ever asks to borrow them. They are my babies and I love them.

I think killing him is a step too far, unless he doesn't apologise and insist on replacing it, in which case it's entirely justifiable.

It warms my heart to see the importance mumsnetters attach to naice pens. OP, kill him slowly with the office stapler.

Another helper to bury the body here! No one is allowed to borrow my shovel though.

I hide my nice stationery in a draw and would definitely get very staby if anyone borrowed and chewed any of my special pens.

StationEry folks...just saying

Seriously, no court in the land, etc ...

Was it from Paperchase? I feel your pain.

Stick the pen up either his nose or his bum. He'll be sorry then. I wouldn't do that with a nice new shiny lovely pen, but as your has been chewed anyway it's worth it.

I'd be a seething ball of fury! You don't chew other people's possesions, what is he, a dog?! Make him squirm OP, make him squirm!

If he chews a borrowed pen he's unlikely to squirm rather than shrug and say "It's just a pen" He obviously doesn't care.

Oh crap, did I spell it wrong

I thought about it too

StationEry as in pEn

StationAry as in cAr

Why would it be OK if it was an office pen?

He would still have borrowed wit the intention of giving back?

Tell the revolting specimen to replace it!