To be irritated by colleagues weekly query about when I'm leaving work?

[BaMamma]

My colleague has a private meeting at 5pm and every week for the last few weeks she asks me at around 4:30 whether I'll still be in the office at 5pm and every week I say sorry, but my bus is at quarter past, and I don't want to wait in the cold, so I'll be here for a little while after 5.

It didn't bother me the first week, but it's really getting on my nerves now.

Didn't help that she took a personal call at 4:40 which mostly consisted of her saying 'I can't talk now' while walking in and out of the office.

What business is it of hers, is she looking for a ride home. You can’t give her one bc you take the bus. I’d look in the face and ask her a personal question and wait for and answer. Just stare at her. That’s should end it.

I would have to invent a reason to stay late a few times, just to piss her off. Cheeky cow.

No, it sounds like she wants OP gone by 5 so she has the office to herself for her private meeting.

I would be irritated too. I would just say something like yes - I will be leaving after 5pm for foreseeable future as that’s the time my bus goes buy. And the next day I would just pop in my headphones and ignored her.

Oh, I didn’t think of that. Maybe having a rendezvous with the janitor. Lol

Just say "leaving after 5 as I do every day" on repeat and dont even look up.

That's it, she has some kind of zoom meeting at 5 every week and wants it to be private. That's fine, but it's not like the bus schedule changes every week, so why ask me every week!! Take the hint!!

LOL - no, we know who she's seeing and I don't think it's related to the private zoom meeting on Mondays at 5 😆

I wouldn't be able to resist a PA, vague reply.

"Hmm, not sure, will see how I get on with all this admin."

Answer …
Not sure. Why do you need to know?

Maybe she's very very very forgetful.
I'd say, yes Sheila, I'm always gone by the time you have your private meeting.
If I'm ever leaving later, I'll let you know.

Hopefully she'll then realise she's aksed one too many times.

I had a boss like this, almost parott like but driven by control.

Depends really. If you do set hours and you finish at 5, and they’ve been told their confidential zoom is at 5… fair enough.

If you don’t have set hours then I’d just say the answer will be the same every week. If you’re feeling nice you could put in some earphones.

Is there another option for space for a private zoom meeting?

Maybe suggest she reschedules her meeting to 5.15pm as you'll be gone by then?

I think she may be asking repeatedly to give you a hint to leave. How often does the bus come? Would you possibly be allowed to catch the earlier bus?

I’m bad with hints and don’t see why I should cut my hours so she can have her meeting!!

Intrigued as to what her private meeting is about?? Is she a webcam girl?! 😆

Do know what her meeting is about, maybe she's having counselling.

You absolutely shouldn’t!

Wow - buses that run to a schedule, rather than turn up 3 at a time.
Impressed.

Is the meeting a private meeting that's work related or a personal meeting? If the latter then she needs to take it at home to expect total privacy.

Our office works set hours but everyone has a key and some people stay a bit later to wait for public transport or a lift or because they're doing something nearer to the office than home after work. Privacy in a non-private space can't be guaranteed!

Is there not a private office she could use to make the call?
Could you hang out in the kitchen or somewhere?

Who knows why she needs to make a private call the same time every week but id guess it's some sort of councilling or something. Maybe be she's having a hard time with something.

IKR! But the schedule is hourly or half hourly, so there’s that 😆

This is also a script from "inside number 9". One night you witness something utterly horrifying at 5.05pm on her open laptop which crackles spontaneously to life.