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.

OP, from this point onwards you need to behave absolutely impeccably. Your management, when faced with a sick, pregnant woman threatening them with claims of discrimination or workplace bullying, will not hesitate to drop you right in it to protect the company.
So no game-playing, no chilli, no hands off notices in the kitchen, the only way to get passed this is to withdraw from the battle. Is it fair that you need to back down and stop drinking your drink from the fridge? Of course, it's completely unfair. But you don't want to end up with career limiting damage over a can of pop.

^What Miss Tick said. I don't know if you realise how dangerous crazy preggo lady is to you right now. Withdraw and let her think she's won, it's not worth it.

Yes, totally agree with the posters up thread who say you need to withdraw yourself from this, and that means no leaving a can of drink in the fridge. Yes, it seems unfair but she'll be on maternity leave shortly so it's only a short solution. Have a small cool bag in your bag instead.

Trying to explain to HR that an ill pregnant lady got sick and needed your drink and it upset you because she's taken it before and apologised to you and replaced it with the wrong one etc makes you look insane, and you'll look in the wrong.

"Winning" is when there's no KA in the fridge for her to drink anymore. Keep it in your desk etc, and you win.

It must be infuriating, but the posters above are right.
She's a piece of shit, you know she is, unfortunately she's a pregnant piece of shit so she has a weapon.
Anyway, the best way to piss her off is to not put the drink in the fridge and maybe even have 2 per shift, don't hide that you're drinking them, but keep them at your desk. I guarantee the lazy greedy cow will still be disorganised and not buy her own, and if she does it will be pineapple, and she will have to go without.
Let's hope she grows up sharpish, imagine having a manipulative bully like that as a mother!

I agree with @Lockheart of course OP shouldn't gave to keep her drink away from pregzilla, but unfortunately this woman does as she pleases and will continue to do so, regardless of whether it's right or not.

I'd just keep my head down, mention it to a few colleagues, but not make a huge fuss, that would make you look as crazy and unprofessional as her. Don't play her games.

OP i think u should have ur can by your desk BUT leave a horrible flavour one in the fridge.

How about a lockable lunchbox. Sends a lovely clear message to your colleague and keeps your drink safe from her cf paws.

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/108343799/locking-lunch-bag-with-lock-lunch-bag

leave a horrible flavour one in the fridge.

I think just go without...if asked say you are on a detox...job done

I'm currently pregnant, if I did this sort of entitled shit I really hope someone would pull me up on it!

How pregnant is she?

I think I'm a generous person but this would give me the utter rage, and I wouldn't let it slide.

Stick a hard to remove label on it that says "paid-for property of @openitsoicanseeyousmile - if you're drinking this and you're not @openitsoicanseeyousmile, you're a cheeky fucker"

🤔it would have to be quite a big label though.

I would be tempted to superglue a can of grape flavour KA to my tray in the fridge and see what happens.

One of the horrible things is, this sort of stuff makes nutjob behaviour acceptable and actually does women down.

Cheeky bitch! If she’s not in today does that mean you got your drink?!

A lot to keep up with...has OP explained why she won't just use a cool box?

has OP explained why she won't just use a cool box?

Just the principle, I think, Flounce - and also I think Pregzilla has pee'd her off so much she doesn't want to give an inch!

Whilst I completely understand this (no-one does vengeful, simmering resentment more enthusiastically than I do), I think she should play the long game here . . .concede a battle to win a war is my motto!

It's possible that she's genuinely pregnant and there's a genuine problem with the pregnancy, in which case you just need to keep your head down and offer sympathy, and just let the cold drink issue go for a couple of weeks. Just take a chiller bag and lock it in your desk, there's no way you can come out of this well if you make a fuss. Put a decoy bottle of water or another can in the fridge.

For god's sake don't follow suggestions above to put a tampered-with can or bottle of anything in the fridge, in the hope of getting a pregnant woman to drink it- can't believe that would need saying.

There's also a possibility that she has got some kind of long term vendetta running here, whether or not she's pregnant, and that she's trying to set you up. Don't allow yourself to be set up as the bad guy. The only way to win with people like that is not to play the game.

has OP explained why she won't just use a cool box?

"Just" use a cool box? You mean go out and spend money on a cool box to leave at work and then remember to take an ice pack in with her every day (making everything else in her bag cold) when there's a perfectly good fridge that's supposed to be available for use?

I think she might reasonably see that as more of a faff than she wants to take on.

People suggesting ways of getting back at the CF are forgetting that OP presumably needs her job and really doesn't need to get into trouble with her employers, get painted as a bully or have her colleagues think she's a petty bitch picking on a pregnant woman. It's supposed to be a professional environment and OP has to go in and face everyone every day.

I think you have to let this one go - and I certainly didn't think this a few hundred posts ago. She will be on maternity leave soon and you run the risk of looking petty ('you took my drink so I took your') and mean to a poor woman with a problem pregnancy.

OP - YANBU and Drink Stealer is a CF, thief and manipulative bitch. But pick your battles!

OP, why not get a can lid cover. Have a sip when you put the can in the fridge, put on the lid cover and put the can into the fridge. I cannot imagine that she would take it when it has obviously been opened and you drank from it.

We’re getting close to needing another thread @openitsoicanseeyousmile.
She is the worst kind of CF. The ones who scheme to do it. Be careful and don’t give her another drink no matter what.

why not get a can lid cover.

I'm pretty sure the plastic covers of coffee tins* will cover a soft drink can - I use them to keep cat food fresh - you probably won't even have to buy one - just re-purpose one.

*Azera, Millicano, Lavazza

You've been spectacularly played OP.

Don't even go there talking to your Boss though, you're going to look very very silly......... and quite mean. Pregnant lady has the trump card and you know she's going to play it.