I honestly don’t know when I became a person who scolds co-workers.
I was in the kitchen getting myself coffee. The head of our business unit was in there, and another guy was in there, chatting him up. The other guy is one of those inappropriate, loud, geek types. And he sat on one of the kitchen tables. He sat on one of the kitchen tables.
I said “Get your butt off of where we eat food.”
Then I said “Now go get a sponge and clean it off.”
He did it. Then he got kind of sarcastic and was all “I cleaned it just for you, Deborah.”
I said “Everyone who eats here appreciates knowing no butts were on their food. That is a reasonable boundary to have.”
And the thing is, first of all, butt on the table? For fuxake! But second of all, when did the kind of nagging I do at home as the mother of a teen become the kind of thing I’m willing to say to anyone, any time? Isn’t that…disturbing? Is there something wrong with me?
Whatever. At least the table is clean.
A sign I placed in our company cafeteria reads, “Anyone using dishware must take care and clean it for the next person to use it.” The sign has not been touched since 1997 when I placed it there. Why should considerate people be judged as inconsiderate when we refuse to accept the thoughtless
actions of people being truly inconsiderate? How about placing a paper towel over your pasta and sauce so it does not “pop and spray” all over the microwave, you freak? Deb, I am on your side!
Hmmph. There’s less wrong with you than there is with people who have no idea how to behave appropriately in the workplace. If I saw butts on the tables, you’d better believe I’d be scolding, too. (Seems to be an inevitable consequence of getting older, this concern with people behaving moronically.)
Trust me, it’s all part of the aging process. Next you’ll be telling the clerk at the grocery to stop slouching and admonishing people at the theater to stop talking and start taking care of customers. 😉
Actually, I have to agree that butts on tables are pretty rude and deserves a scolding. I’d probably have done the same.
Wendy, I don’t know whether to laugh out loud or be horrified!
I say go with the laughter. Life’s too short to be horrified.
As long as the butt is clothed, I don’t see the big deal about it. The hands that touch the table all day every day are a lot dirtier than the occasional piece of clothing. Would you have freaked out if he had put his jacket down on the table?
As to your main question, I hate to say it but it sounds like your inner Jewish Mother oozing to the surface…… 😉
Quite frankly, the visual of the butt in question being in close proximity to your food is disturbing.
That being said, I would have paid money to see you tell him to keep his butt, clothing not withstanding, out of everyone’s food, but hey, that’s just me 🙂
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