Irrationally pissed off about pretty insignificant issue

[brisedusoir]

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.

Colin is clearly a knob and is definitely suffering from long term embarrassment over the situation.
He's one of life's takers and the cleaning lady showed him up for what he is in front of his colleague's.
I vote for the mini ironing board as his secret santa gift!

@brisedusoir brilliant! I love the chocoblast policy.
@EarringsandLipstick I agree you need to lighten up. Most places I’ve worked there has been an element of this kind of thing. I can understand not if you work in a particularly stuffy sector, or perhaps if data protection is absolutely paramount. But life would be very boring!

I agree you need to lighten up. Most places I’ve worked there has been an element of this kind of thing. I can understand not if you work in a particularly stuffy sector, or perhaps if data protection is absolutely paramount. But life would be very boring!

I think telling people to 'lighten up' is really irritating, to be honest. You're entitled to your view around workplace etiquette, and of course workplaces differ.

No, I don't work somewhere particularly 'stuffy' or with data protection expectations beyond the usual. I've worked in multiple environments.

It's nothing to do with stuffiness or anything like that. Someone's workplace is their own area, and in particular, going at their laptop or PC is absolutely unacceptable. I wouldn't find it funny and I don't find it boring that people's boundaries in work are respected.

As I say views and workplaces differ! But I would find it much more inappropriate to do what OP has done, than deal with Colin's dickish comment (which OP has already called out, correctly).

I'm tempted to get a job just so I can introduce chocoblast.

How odd!

Another one who's going to push to introduce chocoblast. That's genius.

Our office's 'Colin' who's thankfully retired now was on the surface an irritating little man but if you spent enough time with him, it didn't take long to notice that he was really a horrible misogynist so eventually I ended up despising him.

But he was strangely quite popular so it didn't do to openly wind him up. But I did take pleasure with tuning the radio in the work pool car away from the stations that I knew he liked to listen to (due to the nature of the job it was us two that used the car the most). I also didn't fill the car quite to the top with petrol - we were supposed to fill it up and he was a stickler for rules, but I'd just do something like fill it to 7/8 full because I knew it would annoy him.

Smear something ever so slightly tacky over his mouse mat. A drip or two of fruit juice should do it. Or reset his mouse and switch right/left clicks over.

My great uncle worked in a very formal office (in the 50s iirc) and wore a smart suit and shirt every day. Aunt and uncle had a argument over something and she unpicked half the seams in the sleeves of his favourite suit. Apparently he got half way through the day before they started slowly detaching from the rest of it. 😂😂😂

This.

Colin's a prick

@QuestionableMouse

My great uncle worked in a very formal office (in the 50s iirc) and wore a smart suit and shirt every day. Aunt and uncle had a argument over something and she unpicked half the seams in the sleeves of his favourite suit. Apparently he got half way through the day before they started slowly detaching from the rest of it.

Genius! Did he work what happened? 🌹

Apparently he came home from work dressed in most of his jacket, carrying his sleeves and told my great aunt that his clothes had broken 😂

🤣🤣😂