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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Irrationally pissed off about pretty insignificant issue

63 replies

brisedusoir · 31/08/2023 19:22

Hi all,

Sorry this is long but trying to be clear.,

I know that in the grand scheme of things this is peanuts but I can't work our why I'm still so pissed off.

Last year there was a big formal work related event near mine (5 minute walk)- live in a capital city and on the other side of most people. I had quite a few friends/acquaintances over before the event to get ready so everyone could dump their stuff, have a drink, get ready, walk to event. It sort of spiraled and at the end there were 15ish people at mine.

We were all in a rush to get ready, iron clothes, etc but it was all good all fun, a good bonding moment.

My cleaning lady popped in to borrow something insignificant during the rush ... she had cleared this borrowing with me during the week so no issue but hadn't said when she was going to pop in so I wasn't expecting her.

I have one board and one iron. All though we all have decent careers, none of us work in jobs where we have to wear formal ironed wear regularly and from how long it was taking - it was very obvious that most of the men couldn't iron to save their lives ... it was taking ages and the woman and I agreed quietly that we wouldn't iron the guys stuff.

Cleaning lady arrived during mayhem when with about 45 minutes to go before we had to leave 7 guys still had their shirts to iron.

She goes to say hello in the room they are ironing in watches for about a minute and tells them she's going to take over because there is no way we'll be out of the door in time if not.

She obviously though it was quite funny and she saved the day and ironed all of their shirts. (she's lovely like that), and I really don't think she expected anything except a story to tell her friends about incompetent young city types who can't iron ... Anyway, everyone gets dressed and out with perfectly ironed shirts

Without me asking at the end of the evening one of the guys comes to me and gives me some cash ( 50 euros - generous ) for my cleaning lady to say thank you for saving the day from all of the guys bar one, lets call him Collin who was apparently clear he wasn't going to be railroaded into paying.

I give the cleaning lady the 50 ... she's happy, I'm happy, everyone's happy.

Fast forward to this year - I'm at a dinner party on Sunday and Collin is there. Cleaning ladies come up in conversation - I basically say I love mine, she's a life changer, best thing I ever did for my mental health etc (all true). Colin then pipes up... "is she the chancer who pushed in and ironed your shirts for cash then".

I just replied "she asked for nothing mate ..." and the converstaion went on

I'm irrationally angry about this comment and I can't work out why.

Help me get over wanting to get back at Collin by doing something like replacing his office coffee with decaf.

OP posts:
Omgwhatthehell · 31/08/2023 20:19

Colin is a tightwad nob. I would be annoyed at that comment too.

Does he have a keyboard? I once flicked some of the letters off an annoying coworker’s keyboard and rearranged them. I clicked them back in place so that the top line, where it normally starts “QUERTY” started with the letters “CUNT”.
It gave me immense pleasure, and I don’t think he ever knew who did it.

IseeNarcPeople · 31/08/2023 20:23

I wonder if Colin is sitting somewhere.. wondering why the words "Dick" and "Prick" keep popping into his head and if I can add my own
"Cockwomble"

Lostinplaces · 31/08/2023 20:31

Is Colon actually called John and my knobhead brother?

TheClitterati · 31/08/2023 20:33

Colin is a dick.

Imagine being so pathetically petty & sad.

Yeah fuck with him OP. Just in a pointless way like dropping his chair down or titling his screen.

Don't forget to tell us about it 😁

TheClitterati · 31/08/2023 20:34

Omgwhatthehell · 31/08/2023 20:19

Colin is a tightwad nob. I would be annoyed at that comment too.

Does he have a keyboard? I once flicked some of the letters off an annoying coworker’s keyboard and rearranged them. I clicked them back in place so that the top line, where it normally starts “QUERTY” started with the letters “CUNT”.
It gave me immense pleasure, and I don’t think he ever knew who did it.

Omg I need to bookmark this for future reference

DisforDarkChocolate · 31/08/2023 20:40

Inspired by a previous poster. Next time you email him, accidentally call him Colon.

LakeTiticaca · 31/08/2023 20:49

Your cleaning lady sounds lovely and Colin is a twat. Put some laxatives I his coffee 😉

Beenhereforever1978 · 31/08/2023 20:59

Omgwhatthehell · 31/08/2023 20:19

Colin is a tightwad nob. I would be annoyed at that comment too.

Does he have a keyboard? I once flicked some of the letters off an annoying coworker’s keyboard and rearranged them. I clicked them back in place so that the top line, where it normally starts “QUERTY” started with the letters “CUNT”.
It gave me immense pleasure, and I don’t think he ever knew who did it.

I agree with the above, and I second most of these replies (not the laxatives one, that's assault and also not cricket).

However this keyboard move is genius, and I am going to adopt it for a long running series of skirmishes I have with a colleague (who I like). I won't use this particular word, but will swap just enough keys for it to be annoying.

BiggerBadderBrainfogged · 31/08/2023 21:06

DisforDarkChocolate · 31/08/2023 20:40

Inspired by a previous poster. Next time you email him, accidentally call him Colon.

Yes this is the sort of petty and subtle revenge to go for!

JADS · 31/08/2023 22:39

I was about to suggest you piss in his squash, then I read you were French.

I love the dolls house ironing board idea.

Your cleaning lady sounds amazing BTW.

zurala · 31/08/2023 22:49

Definitely change his email signature to Colon. It will probably be weeks before he notices.

Original poster
brisedusoir · 01/09/2023 06:39

Thanks for all your suggestions! I’m in the office ridiculously early because I had a zoom with the far East and although “Colin” is not actually called Colin I have channneled the “colon” idea and after a bit of googling it ne the shear luck of being able to accèss his computer managed to set up his keyboard so two letters squash into each other whenever he types them - if he now types oe- what shows up on screen is œ. Because that way it’s a bit creased. I feel truly vindicated. Thank you all for a good giggle.

OP posts:
Original poster
brisedusoir · 01/09/2023 06:41

Also trying to work out if it’s feasible to bribe the office manager into rigging this years secret Santa ( because I’m a forward planner ) and planting the mini ironing board!

OP posts:
Coffeetree · 01/09/2023 06:48

Now I'm angry at Collin too.

He showed a horrible, classist attitude towards this lady. Let her perform a service for free, then got ungracious when the others paid. Insulted her publicly and then by extension tried to embarass you in front of your colleagues by implying there'd been some sort of scam at your house, when in fact you'd kindly offered hospitality.

No need to do anything, your colleagues all know the measure of him and are as disgusted as you are .

EarringsandLipstick · 01/09/2023 07:26

brisedusoir · 01/09/2023 06:39

Thanks for all your suggestions! I’m in the office ridiculously early because I had a zoom with the far East and although “Colin” is not actually called Colin I have channneled the “colon” idea and after a bit of googling it ne the shear luck of being able to accèss his computer managed to set up his keyboard so two letters squash into each other whenever he types them - if he now types oe- what shows up on screen is œ. Because that way it’s a bit creased. I feel truly vindicated. Thank you all for a good giggle.

Colin is an arsehole. I'm not sure why one stupid comment would rile you so much tho; you replied at the time, and I doubt anyone thinks much of Coin anyway.

But I hope you haven't really done this with his keyboard? As that's a bit insane & clearly not ok in a workplace.

Original poster
brisedusoir · 01/09/2023 07:48

@EarringsandLipstick I have done it to his keyboard - no regrets. He should have locked his computer and screen properly - which he didn't. If I was really unpleasant and out to get him I write him up for not locking up his computer properly ( I have the authority to do this). It will take him about 3 minutes to fix the shortcut.

I work in an office where messing with peoples unlocked computers is par for the course ... there is a "chocoblast" policy anyway. https://www.chocoblast.fr/reglement/ (chocoblast is a French cyber security sort of initiative with established rules basically if someone leaves the room and doesn't lock their computer and someone manages to send an email from it or change their screen saver they have to bring pain au chocolate for the team - bretons are allowed to crèpes.)

I think you need to lighten up.

ChocoBLAST - Règlement

Télécharger Règlement (.pdf) Les joueurs Toute personne ayant été avertie par voie orale ou écrite est susceptible d’être ChocoBLASTée . Toute personne ayant mangé des chocolatines (ou pains au chocolat pour les non-initiés) (ou croissants) lors d’un p...

https://www.chocoblast.fr/reglement

OP posts:
EarringsandLipstick · 01/09/2023 08:01

I think you need to lighten up.

🙄

I think your workplace sounds like a nightmare. Where I work - anywhere I've worked - it's unacceptable to interfere with someone's work property or station. I've always understood that to be standard.

The 'chocoblast' thing ... dear God.

But sure, if you think this is all standard in your work environment, and that what you describe as a 3 min fix will show obnoxious Colin the error of his ways, then sure, work away.

MagpiePi · 01/09/2023 08:10

Stick a bit of paper over his mouse light so that it doesn’t work, or change the settings so the speed of the pointer doesn’t match the speed of the mouse IYKWIM.

He sounds like a total arse and is embarrassed at being a tightwad.

MagpiePi · 01/09/2023 08:12

I also think some small but irritating auto corrects could be fun, say, putting random capital letters into common words.

Newestname002 · 01/09/2023 08:52

Omgwhatthehell · 31/08/2023 20:19

Colin is a tightwad nob. I would be annoyed at that comment too.

Does he have a keyboard? I once flicked some of the letters off an annoying coworker’s keyboard and rearranged them. I clicked them back in place so that the top line, where it normally starts “QUERTY” started with the letters “CUNT”.
It gave me immense pleasure, and I don’t think he ever knew who did it.

That made me laugh out loud and got me out of my grump (about something else annoying which happened this morning). 🌹

Beenhereforever1978 · 01/09/2023 08:55

I am introducing the chocoblast policy to.our office with immediate affect.

40andlovelife · 01/09/2023 09:01

Vanillalime · 31/08/2023 19:29

Can you change the settings in his chair, so that he ends up with a sore back?
Or move his stapler 2 inches each day until it falls off the side of his desk?
Switch sugar in his tea for salt?
Switch up the speed of his mouse so it moves really fast or slow?
Make a small typo in his email signature?

I just love the last 2!! Please do these OP

Sparkl · 01/09/2023 09:24

These suggestions are so good

On the ‘why’ of being still annoyed about it, is it verbatim ? Did he say ‘your shirts’ as if they were your shirts to iron? Because that would linger with me for sure

CoteDOpale · 01/09/2023 09:27

YANBU. Your cleaning lady sounds wonderful. Collin’s a dick.

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