Sugar-rush

In our office, we have a gazillion types of tea (I'm not going to bother to count them) and three types of coffee. I asked if we could possibly include hot chocolate as one of the hot drink options. No particular preference, just a bit of cocoa. My request was turned down, because I was the only one asking for it. I didn't mind, I bought my own.

And it got used. Copiously. And quickly.

That pissed me the hell off. I only ever found one other staff member helping himself. I don't have a problem with sharing my stuff - as long as I've been asked first. It didn't help his cause that I do not like him at all. Massive creep.

There subsequently followed a fair-sized hissy fit to the inventory powers that be - with a strongly worded argument that I clearly was not the only one who wanted a cocoa-fix. We got communal hot chocolate shortly afterwards. I felt mildly vindicated in my cause.

I recently discovered a great version of jelly-sweets, which is effectively chewy sugar dipped in crystal sugar powder, shaped like pieces of fruit. Yummo. I buy a packet for myself every now and again. I offer the sweets around and plonk them next to me on my desk. Any and all are free to help themselves. I really don't mind - and it makes me feel slightly better to know that I've not eaten the whole bag single-mouthedly.

But it grates me the wrong side up, more than a little bit, when Mento helps herself - a lot - and throws in a sarky quip at the same time.

"Oh goodie, don't mind if I do." While she merrily mashes three or four sweets into her sweaty palms.
"More sweets? You're getting quite addicted to your sugar, aren't you?" Gulped through chubby-bunny-filled-cheeks.

And it especially riles me when she saunters over, only to discover that I have not in fact supplied her afternoon glucose fix for the day (or if I've seen her coming and spitefully hidden them from view). It's her reaction that irks me the most. Because she is honest to god completely taken back - she can't understand where the magic supply of sweets have gone. How are they not here?

She'll blink in disbelief, as if I've assaulted her with a glass of ice cold water, "OH! ...no sweets today? Are you going later? Are you getting more tomorrow?"

The look of surprise is that of a crazy cat lady who's just found her prized pet puking directly into her breakfast bowl (probably its revenge for a lifetime of being dressed in kitten-clothing). Why would her subject do this to her?

It's really, honestly, not the issue of sharing. I'll admit, I'm not always gracious about sharing food (and GBM has the fork-pronged scars in his hand to back this up), but this particular gripe is about reciprocity.

If you're eating my sweets, or my hot chocolate, or drinking my milk, or using my butter on a regular basis... How about a little contribution? Just buy it once. Even just acknowledging that you're aware your consuming my goods. Anything. Instead of just assuming that I'm your supplier, or that I won't notice your dull-witted leeching nature. Just a gesture. And don't act so annoyingly, inanely surprised when the source dries up.

 If you want sweets every day, if you know you're going to use milk every day, go buy your own (so that I have someone to steal from when I'm too lazy to walk in the rain).