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.

Anyone else been looking for KA everywhere and not able to find any?! I’m dying to try the grape flavour. I love a good fizzy drink.

Anyone know where they sell it?!

I actually googled it, and now I really want the grape one. It's
Definitely not available where I live .

I'm weirdly overinvested in this thread. I wonder if it's going to get to a second thread 😂

Asda sometimes do 3 for £1 on KA drinks where I am.
KA drinks are usually on the world food aisle in Tesco and Asda.

I kind of hope this is all an elaborate plot by the makers of Ka to boost sales I imagine the OP would be quite glad if it all turned out to be a hilarious joke at this point!

Can someone give a recap of the story because this is like 32 pages long?

OP,

This woman is indeed Batshit, but dangerous.

I think decanting your drink or ice packs are the way to go.

If you do go to HR, I would be having more of a giving them a "heads up" type of conversation.

Tell them it's all very strange her repeatedly taking your drink and being very unpleasant about it. Tell them you are now making alternative arrangements re your drink, but you are not happy that you cannot store lunch items safely in the office.

You now know exactly what she's like.

Keep your powder dry and when you get a chance, fill colleagues in. She is nasty.

Whatsnewpussyhat Nellie Olson!!!!! Thank you. LHOTP was great. There was always a 'moral' to it. Drink stealing CF could do with watching a few episodes.

I've never even heard of this drink before!

@Pantalaimon88 it’s sold in all the small corner shops and off-licences round here, can usually find a few cans on the world food isles in big supermarkets.

It’s SO nice 😂 I mean it’s hideous for you but well worth it for the taste alone. Only the grape one is worth it’s salt though!

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

Yes, some people would. Psychopaths still get pregnant. Narcissists still get pregnant. Bitches still get pregnant. The power-playing MILs of the future have to be regular mothers giving birth to their sons at some point...

The fact that she pulled this, “It’s not looking good,” and then not responding trick, seems ridiculous. Everyone knows it would have taken the same amount of time to send a text with actual information instead. And your coworkers have led very sheltered lives if they don’t see someone doing that and immediately think, “Right, someone who is that vague and then immediately doesn’t respond so as to up the drama factor is not someone I need to put at the top of my worry list yet, until and unless they give me reason. I won’t play the game. I’m not a 16 year old on Facebook.”

I hate to ask this, @openitsoicanseeyousmile - but are you SURE she’s actually pregnant? Is she showing? You mentioned her going to aquanatal, but also that your office may be lax about checking medical appointments, if she just said, “My midwife has said blah blah.” Aquanatal classes are best for 20-40 weeks but EPU is up to 16 weeks so it just seemed odd, unless she’s at the very top end of being seen by EPU and the bottom end of aquanatal.

www.amazon.co.uk/KA-Sparkling-Black-Grape-Cans/dp/B06XH43371?psc=1&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

That’s s really good point all my antenatal classes were for after 20 weeks. Had to book ahead but didn’t take place till later.

Just been lurking but unbelievably invested in this. Obviously hoping she's not really ill, but thinking like everyone else she's just a CF.

Hoping you find a solution!

I’m going to look for some in my local Tesco Extra tonight. Imagine if this was cooked up by the makers or KA 😂

Another one here craving KA. I've not had it for about ten years but really fancy some now!

Hope it works out for you OP. Your colleague sounds ridiculous.

Pregzilla has been setting this up since the following text message:

I actually feel very very attacked by your last message. Please remember the state I'm in at the moment, is it kind?"

She is planning on going off with stress tested by workplace bullying etc. She's been pushing OP's buttons and hoping OP is going lose it so she has plenty of ammunition. Let's hope she doesn't find this thread.

Assuming she comes back and hasn't pulled these antics to get signed off on sick leave, alleging you bullied her into it, here's what I would do.

I would buy a can of the grape flavour for her AND you every day. I would also gush to her in a wide-smile way that you remember how bad your pregnancy went and you just HAD to help her out. Mention it often. Beaming smiles at her. Make sure you ask her often if it's helping with a perfect mumsnet PA head-tilt. She will know you are faking the fuck out of it and wonder what you are up to. Your mutual colleagues will think you are lovely. Management will be grateful they don't have to deal with an entitled thief who is pulling the preggers card.
Then somewhere, when she's in earshot she should hear you on the phone to someone on about "...and smeared all around the rim!" ...before dissolving into fits of laughter, then something like "No, not a clue it's hilarious...." "oh not harmful at all, just gross..." and then look a bit startled when she catches you and hurriedly end the call.

She'll start to get paranoid that you've done something to the cans. Of course you've done nothing. And her accusing you would be simply bonkers should she go to management. That call she overheard? you telling your best friend about a toddler related incident. Kill her with fake kindness. She'll hate you for it. And you'll get to fuck with her head in the process.

@NewFoneWhoDis wow, you're evil....I think I like you! 😈

Don't play any silly games FFS. Don't put chilli on the rim, don't put laxatives in it, don't pretend you've messed with it, don't shake it up or pour it on her desk.

It's cringy in the extreme. You'll just look deranged and at worse you'll get hauled into your bosses office for tampering with your colleagues drink (and yes, she should be hauled into your bosses office for taking your drinks).

Just be grown up about it; keep the drink where she can't get to it, explain the problem to your boss, and don't fuck up your position in the company whilst you're at it.

The OP obviously could keep her drink in a cool bag and it wouldn't be taken - but she shouldn't have to! She is totally entitled to keep it in the fridge, and that is a lot more effective than a cool bag.

This thief lady sounds awful!

placemarking. what a psycho.

OP, don't confess to drinking the 'bait' drink she swapped into your spot in the fridge. You don't know what happened to that, OK? Perhaps there are two drink thieves now, since she's demonstrated what an easy target you are!

I'd put a massive smear of something harmless like gasoline (typo Vaseline) over the ring pull and edge of the can you drink out if that'll put her off.