Name change because - I know you are on here Leslie!!
I am going to be as specific as I can without giving Leslie (her work nick name - well the nicest one!) the ability to identify me. However I am kind of over it now!
I just need to know if I am being unreasonable here. I warn you that on the scale of 1-10 of pettiness this is a 10 so not a an issue that is going to have a global impact!
Leslie smells - it is a mixture of cats, rice cakes and that damp smell where you haven't let your clothes dry properly. I am currently 37 weeks pregnant and I sit next to Leslie. I admit I have HORMONES and also vomit at least twice a day regularly due to my inability to deal with the smell of coffee, tuna and ...Leslie.
Now I don't purposely like hurting anyone's feelings - I am very aware that these are my issues but I had a quiet word with the office manager and she took pity on me and let me move to the other side of the office in a corner mostly used for hot desking.
This happened last Thursday and today in the kitchen I was cornered by Leslie (who by the way had a piece of flaky pastry from her croissant on the side of her mouth) demanding to know why I moved!
Now 2 things here - firstly this pregnancy has gifted me with sickness from 6 weeks and secondly I also I currently have a very weak stomach because I had to run away and be sick as the smell and then the food on the mouth triggered the first chunder of the day.
I did politely excuse myself but when I returned she was crying and some co-workers were consoling her (from a distance!).
I apologised and said that I was having morning sickness and then Leslie screamed at me that I was discriminating against her. I stayed calm (secretly hoping my waters might break so I could leave) and asked her to explain how I discriminated against her. Then she said I moved desks because she is old and it is age discrimination.
Now my dilemma is - would it be unreasonable to tell her that I am actually really fond of older people (she is actually on 65 so not old in my view) and that my real issue is that she had an aroma that in my current condition is really not appealing to me.
Or is it nicer for her think that I don't like her because of her age.
See petty!! I spoke to a colleague and she said she couldn't get close enough to cuddle her when she was crying because she thought she would gag. She says IANBU but I feel like a bitchy bitch - should I just move back to the desk and put vicks under my nose?
I told my husband and he nervously laughed then put his rice cakes in the car to take to work to eat!!