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Original poster

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

896 replies

openitsoicanseeyousmile · 12/10/2019 15:34

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 Sad

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 posts:
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6
1HappyTraveller · 12/10/2019 17:03

If she’s knows it helps then she should go buy her own. First time I’d understand. But after that she’s taking the p*ss. She’s only doing it because she’s getting away with it. If she’s able to get to work she’s able to get to the shop that’s 2 mins away and buy her own. If you don’t say something she’s going to continue to see her actions as acceptable and will likely continue to keep taking your drink for the rest of her pregnancy. Probably the next one too. Nip it in the bud.

MarkinTime · 12/10/2019 17:05

I would have torn her head off the first time she took it. Pregnant or not.

honeylulu · 12/10/2019 17:08

Yup, cheeky fucker of the "first woman in the world to have a baby" variety.

Compounded by the fact that she doesn't explain or apologise until you actually see her guzzling YOUR drink down her greedy entitled gullet.

Do NOT enable her. Many women get pregnant. We don't theive from our colleagues though.

I would a post it note on "I've licked this - keep your thieving hands off NAME".

TitsInAbsentia · 12/10/2019 17:13

Once was ok, but surely she should have then started bringing her own in, total CF, I wouldn't be entertaining her at all. What's she going to do if you don't bring one in?!

PlacidPenelope · 12/10/2019 17:14

It is cheeky, yes. And she shouldn't get away with it because she's pregnant. But a lock box? Seriously? How many multi packs could you buy for £30? Probably enough to see her through to the end of her pregnancy! Stick a can in the fridge for her every day. Make it obvious you've noticed, and she might just return the favour one day when you need if the most.

I would bring in 2 on Monday, and say I have brought an extra one in for you, as I am so fed up with being disappointed after looking forward to my cold drink all morning every day last week only to find you have just helped yourself. Please can you replace it tomorrow and bring an extra one in for you at the same time, and replace on an ongoing basis so YOU have a drink int eh fridge and do not drink mine, then I won't be so crushingly disappointed every day this week.

I'd probably bring in two drinks every day knowing it would stop once she gives birth. It's temporary. It's cheap. You'd be extending grace and you'd know you had a drink there when you wanted it. It's not "fair" but it's a solution to a temporary problem

and while you are doing all the above OP, make sure you lie down and invite her to wipe her feet on you. No wonder people get away with treating others like mugs.

As Worra said the solution is simple - tell her to stop helping herself to drinks that don't belong to her and to provide her own.

Andsoltbegins · 12/10/2019 17:25

Buy a multipack
Wait till she’s had 1 then remove the rest and take home. The next day act surprised and say ‘someone else must have drunk them. How annoying. You’d better get another pack’

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 12/10/2019 17:36

I'd probably bring in two drinks every day knowing it would stop once she gives birth. It's temporary. It's cheap. You'd be extending grace and you'd know you had a drink there when you wanted it. It's not "fair" but it's a solution to a temporary problem.

I'm guessing that, if she finds that one can 'really helps' then she'd find that two cans is wonderfully relieving....

If I've understood correctly, she just helps herself and says nothing; only if she's caught does she (without apology) promise to bring one in the next day. Wouldn't it be great if shops worked that way - just take whatever you want and walk out with it and only on the occasions when they catch you, you simply 'offer' to go in and pay for what you stole tomorrow. No shame, no prosecutions, no criminal record: fabulous.

Do you drive into work, OP? If so, is your car bigger or higher up than hers? Make sure you keep your car keys on you at all times. After all, she might find that driving home in your car 'really helps' - but she'll bring it back in the morning, promise....

redcarbluecar · 12/10/2019 17:49

To be honest I think I’d bring in a multi pack and tell her she could help herself as long as there were always cans available for you. Tell her it’s because you don’t want to be going to the shop every day. I’m not sure that would address the CFery of course!

FrancisCrawford · 12/10/2019 17:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WorraLiberty · 12/10/2019 17:51

Why the fuck would anyone buy a multipack or even consider going to the shop everyday, to replace what some cheeky twat keeps taking?

Jesus, I'm getting irrationally angry and far too over invested in this thread Grin

BumbleBeee69 · 12/10/2019 17:51

No, but I did comment on that thread with a lot more assertiveness than I can muster up for my own self

Aww noooo .... Shock

Go kick ass OP Grin and kick hard Grin

Buyitinbamboo · 12/10/2019 17:58

I get the impression that if you get a multi pack she'll start having 2 a day, or more so that won't sort your issue. Just tell her to stop taking your drinks. I'm heavily pregnant and wouldn't be offended (although I'm not a CF so wouldn't have taken them in the first place!)

SimonJT · 12/10/2019 17:59

I would set her straight and ask her to go to the shop during her break to buy me another, she’s pregnant not terminally ill!

I have type one diabetes, I recently discovered someone had drunk my emergency ribena and left the empty bottle in the fridge, that was really helpful when I was having a hypo. Colleague admitted it was her but couldn’t get it into her head that I actually needed and complained that I was storing ‘medicine’ in the communal fridge!

holidays987 · 12/10/2019 18:21

I wouldn't be bothered to make an issue out of her having a couple of your cans of pop. Yes it's annoying and yes it is cheeky. But if you can get a multi pack of 6 for £1.50 I'd just do that to save the hassle. Leave it in the fridge. And then maybe not contribute anything to her baby card & present envelope when the time comes around.

Sn0tnose · 12/10/2019 18:26

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.

So when she says she’ll replace it the next day, say ‘No, that’s no good to me. I’ve got nothing that I want to drink today. You’ll have to nip out to the shop at lunch time to replace it’. She’s merrily told everyone that she’s fine, so a two minute walk isn’t going to hurt her.

Or, eat her sandwich at lunch time and when she questions you, tell her you were feeling peckish and you’ll replace it tomorrow!

MzHz · 12/10/2019 18:28

This helps...?

Tell her literally to ftfo! It’s not hers, it never was and frankly as a former hg sufferer not once did you ever make your issue anyone else’s problem.

“Buy your own fucking drink!”

BE rude! She’s got no problem being fucking rude to you!

Who else does she take from?

JasonPollack · 12/10/2019 18:30

Put a note on the can "Helen, stop nicking my fucking drink“.

category12 · 12/10/2019 18:38

"Can you start bringing in your own drinks - it's really not fair to keep taking mine everyday."

BlueJava · 12/10/2019 18:42

Is it fizzy? if not transfer it to a bottle/cup with lid of your own. She is far less likely to take that. Or take your lunch in a cool bag and put it under your desk. She's a CF though, it would annoy me.

BrendasUmbrella · 12/10/2019 18:52

Why should you buy multi packs? I never heard of the concept of having to subsidize pregnant colleagues before.

If drinking a soft drink makes her feel happy she should buy some. Instead of buying drinks for a CF, buy a small coolbag from Poundland and keep your drink in your car or under your desk. Or drink water for a week to break the cycle.

BrendasUmbrella · 12/10/2019 18:53

Or buy something like The Coldest Water Bottle and decant it into that.

Original poster
openitsoicanseeyousmile · 12/10/2019 19:06

So, I messaged her saying "Hi Sharon, please would you stop taking my drinks from the fridge? Sorry to sound petty but I like a fizzy drink with my lunch and I often go without because you have them instead. I hope I'm not sounding snappy! Happy to take it in turns to buy a multipack of them weekly"

OP posts:
Original poster
openitsoicanseeyousmile · 12/10/2019 19:06

Obviously her name isn't really Sharon Grin

OP posts:
lynzpynz · 12/10/2019 19:28

Good for you OP - being pregnant doesn't suddenly make you unable to plan ahead and bring nausea reducing drinks into the office, nor give you the right to repeatedly nick other folks lunch contents!

Newmumatlast · 12/10/2019 19:35

Being pregnant is no excuse. Maybe the first time (though she could've asked before she took it) but after that she had the knowledge that it helps to be able to buy her own. She also isnt incapable of walking to the shop to buy her own on her lunch. I travelled half way round the country doing 6 hrs each way drives and difficult work projects with little sleep when pregnant. I'm sure she could cope with a short walk.

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