To think don't keep taking my drink at work?

[openitsoicanseeyousmile]

I'm known to bring a can of drink in everyday for lunch. It's kept in the shared fridge at work - Everyone knowns it's mine as there's a little section box for each person with their name on.

A colleague of mine is pregnant and for the third time has taken my drink and not bothered replacing it. When questioned, she says something along the lines of "Sorry! Bad sickness. This helps. I'll get a new one for you tomorrow".

She always does, it's there the following day. But it means having to go out at lunchtime to get another one. The local shop is only 2 minutes away but it means eating up time I don't have since I have 30 minutes lunch.

I'm really not sure how to go about it. If it was the usual person, I'd tell them to stop the cheek and buy their own to bring in! But she's pregnant and suffering from sickness. I had HG with my son so I feel awful at the thought of telling her she can most certainly never take from me again without asking

I remember the horrendous feeling of needing something sweet and fizzy to curve the sickness and it did often help, so I imagine it's very helpful to her.

Perhaps I should buy a multipack and suggest she goes half's so we can both enjoy them during the week? Or is this too doormat like?

I'm really not sure how to go about it. I don't think she thinks she's being cheeky in the slightest, and is an otherwise lovely colleague.

What would you do? I usually have no issues being assertive but I feel as if the lines have been blurred.

@TellMeWhoTheVilliansAre I 100% understand what you’re saying, I’m just trying to think of a good way to manage the situation when you’re dealing with someone who is that crazy.

I would let your line manager know what’s been happening to prevent her from doing so first and you then have to defend yourself. Emphasise how you’ve tried to resolve it amicably with the knowledge she’s struggling a bit with her pregnancy but you’re worried it’s going to escalate/continue on her return.

Do you drive to work & park nearby? If so, leave drink in cool bag in car & pop down to get it at lunchtime. Leave a bottle of nice sparkling water in fridge & see if she then goes on to steal that as well. If she does she is purely targeting you for some bizarre reason.

Please tred very carefully OP, she sounds crazy. I think shes going to escalate this thing to huge proportions. Stay well away from her.

Decanting into a bottle isn’t the same as cracking open a fresh can.

Nor is going to the fridge and finding that the CF has nicked your can yet again

I wouldn’t put it past her to spit in OP’s bottle.

I would be interested to know how pregnant she is, if she's going to the EPU it suggests she under 12 weeks? (Unless guidelines are different in your area) I'm surprised she told everyone so early, most people wait a bit longer.
I do think putting your lunch in a bag/lunch box or even a carrier bag tied up so you have to physically break the bag open would hopefully stop it.
Or one day leave an open can so it goes flat, cus that would be seriously disappointing!!

Sounds like she’s on a crazy power trip.

Had same problem. I announced to everyone that the bottle of pop i had in the fridge the bloody dog had had his chops round before i came into work. the pinching stopped 😂😂 try it. My culprits face was a picture.

I'd stay well away from her and start drinking red bull (or something she can't drink). I wouldn't put it past her to try and blame 'stress over drinkgate' for time off work etc

She brought the wrong flavour replacement because that's probably the only flavour they had in the shop she visited

Nope. She brought pineapple in, the OP had grape in the fridge at the same time, and later on mysteriously OP's grape had gone and pineapple been put in her box.

Oh don't worry, I'm not defending her! I'm just saying she's too lazy to bother finding the right replacement and then stole the one she preferred.

Is this really the hill you want to die on, op?

You've got to know when to fold. She's got the "vulnerable" cards and is ahead of you in ruthless office politics-playing, if she exists.

She's being a sneaky, manipulative cow. Like the spoilt girl in Little House on the Prairie - what was her name?

You need to make a can cover from a different can. You can make them quite easily or buy one. Then you can disguise your drink while it's in the fridge and also drink it with its 'sleeve' on. You get your KA and she gets foiled.

Surely she wouldn't fake all this over a drink!?.

You would not believe the cracker barrel stunts some people will pull to be the centre of attention or wield a bit of power.

Pregzilla will be revelling in this!

*Is this really the hill you want to die on, op?

You've got to know when to fold. She's got the "vulnerable" cards and is ahead of you in ruthless office politics-playing, if she exists.*

Fuck that. I’d report her for stealing my stuff, pregnant or not.
I don't have the money to replace things being taken.

She’s got you on the latest occasion though I think, as you agreed, albeit under duress, that she could have it.

I foresee a 'hr involved, stress over drinks makes her ill, I can't help it, I'm poorly, mean none pregnant person picking on me' blah blah blah.

Get into hr first OP before she starts down that road.

I'd definitely not discuss this with colleagues. I think that's the absolute worst course of action.

Expresso and Drum are right - don't do or say anything that could imply that you could in any way be responsible for her being unwell (which is probably just one in a series of lies anyway).

I had HG my whole fucking pregnancy, was still throwing up in labour, and yet I managed to not steal anyone's drink.

She is outrageous but I sadly agree with others, stop bringing it in. Even just for a week or so. See how she resolves her daily 'sickness' without yout supply.

*I'd definitely not discuss this with colleagues. I think that's the absolute worst course of action.

Expresso and Drum are right - don't do or say anything that could imply that you could in any way be responsible for her being unwell (which is probably just one in a series of lies anyway).

She brought pineapple in, the OP had grape in the fridge at the same time, and later on mysteriously OP's grape had gone and pineapple been put in her box.

As above. This is a power play - she's rubbing your OP's nose in it.

Awful as it sounds, I'm wondering if she's really pregnant at all - or ever has been. Maybe this is an attention-getting device, and she has always intended to "miscarry". Provoking OP could be her "get out of pregnancy free card".

I know it's a dreadful thing to suggest, but as a PP has pointed out - people fake cancer, ffs!

Disguise it as a can of special brew

She's being a sneaky, manipulative cow. Like the spoilt girl in Little House on the Prairie - what was her name?

Nellie Olson. Bloody loved LHOTP.

As you were.

I read this thread when it first went up, just caught up now and cany believe how far shes gone. It's weird! Why doesn't she just buy a can?

Dying for an update, not gonna lie

Stupid question but what is KA