I work in an open office and sit near a coworker “Jess.” For the past few weeks, I noticed my phone charger would often be missing from my desk. I’d find it plugged into her phone or laying near her area, unplugged but clearly used. She never asked to borrow it, and it became a recurring thing.
At first, I let it slide. But after it kept happening, I put a sticky note on the charger that said, “Please ask before using” just to set a boundary without making it a big deal.
That same afternoon, the note was gone, and the charger was plugged into her phone again.
After that, I took the charger home for a couple of days. When I brought it back, I kept it tucked away in my bag or locked drawer unless I was using it. Then one morning she asked, “Where’s the charger? My phone’s dying.” I told her I didn’t bring it. She looked annoyed and said, “Seriously? Everyone uses that one.” I said, “Yeah, and that’s the problem, it’s mine.”
She rolled her eyes and said I was being territorial “over a stupid cord.” I didn’t say anything else.
Later that day, she told a few people in the office that I was “withholding” the charger just to be difficult. A couple coworkers joked about it, but one told me they thought I was being dramatic.
Now I feel a bit awkward, like I created an unnecessary conflict. But I also feel like I was taken advantage of. I wouldn’t mind sharing if she just asked, but being expected to provide something for free use every day doesn’t sit right with me.
So AITA for taking my charger home and not letting her keep using it?
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I work in an open office and sit near a coworker “Jess.” For the past few weeks, I noticed my phone charger would often be missing from my desk. I’d find it plugged into her phone or laying near her area, unplugged but clearly used. She never asked to borrow it, and it became a recurring thing.
At first, I let it slide. But after it kept happening, I put a sticky note on the charger that said, “Please ask before using” just to set a boundary without making it a big deal.
That same afternoon, the note was gone, and the charger was plugged into her phone again.
After that, I took the charger home for a couple of days. When I brought it back, I kept it tucked away in my bag or locked drawer unless I was using it. Then one morning she asked, “Where’s the charger? My phone’s dying.” I told her I didn’t bring it. She looked annoyed and said, “Seriously? Everyone uses that one.” I said, “Yeah, and that’s the problem, it’s mine.”
She rolled her eyes and said I was being territorial “over a stupid cord.” I didn’t say anything else.
Later that day, she told a few people in the office that I was “withholding” the charger just to be difficult. A couple coworkers joked about it, but one told me they thought I was being dramatic.
Now I feel a bit awkward, like I created an unnecessary conflict. But I also feel like I was taken advantage of. I wouldn’t mind sharing if she just asked, but being expected to provide something for free use every day doesn’t sit right with me.
So AITA for taking my charger home and not letting her keep using it?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I refused to let my coworker use my personal phone charger after she repeatedly took it without asking. She got upset, told others in the office I was being petty, and now a few coworkers think I overreacted. I might be the asshole because it’s just a charger, and maybe I made things unnecessarily awkward at work by not letting it go.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. She’s entitled. She takes people’s stuff without asking. So rude.
Keep your cord hidden. She never asked to borrow it. She can buy her own, it’s not expensive.
NTA
Do you work with a bunch of petty children? Unless you’re all sharing a dorm room, you don’t blatantly claim access to stuff that isn’t yours. The fact that this person also got others to feel the same entitlement is so ludicrous.
They all need to grow up and get their own shit. Phone chargers are $13 on amazon.
NTA. She isn’t entitled to use your personal things, be it a phone charger or pen or stationary. I would have a chat with her manager or make a report to HR. She has been stealing your charger and is now trying to make you out as the bad guy for taking steps to prevent her doing so. Don’t minimize or sugar coat things, she has been stealing, she is a thief, she is the problem. You didn’t cause the conflict, she did, by taking your things as if she has some innate right to do so.
NTA. When others “joke” about you being dramatic, thank them for volunteering to bring in a cord that “everyone ” can use.
NTA. If it’s no big deal, she can just by one for herself.
NTA
I don’t get why ppl just don’t buy their own. A cheap one for work is only $10.
NTA. Jess can bring her own charger to work or borrow one from your co-workers. It was rude of her to keep grabbing your charger without asking.
NTA. Her cheap ass can go by her own ****ing charger instead of being a freeloader about a pretty cheap product.
NTA, wtf is wrong with your coworkers, it’s not being dramatic, it’s your stuff. Wth?
NTA
NTA.
I cannot begin to tell you how irate I would be if someone just took something off of my desk without permission. We had a new manager who casually tried to grab something off of my desk (that our company owner put there for me to deal with). He was probably meaning to be helpful.
But it was made very clear that it was not appropriate to just reach over my desk and grab something/s off of it.
Point blank, I don’t care what it is or who in the company you are – don’t touch other people’s items without explicit permission.
I don’t recommend being petty or snide about it (because down that road, no one wins) but I do think there’s room to pointedly remark “I do not appreciate my personal property being removed from my desk without my explicit permission.”
She’s not even using it and putting it back – she’s just straight lifting it and not returning it. That’s not “borrowing”.
NTA, and seriously WTF is with people thinking they are entitled to other people’s property these days? Just because you say it’s “no big deal” if you take it / use it, IT STILL BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE AND IT’S THEIR CHOICE, NOT YOURS. F*ckwads.
NTA. OMG, people used to take my chargers all the time and they’d get ‘lost.’ I started locking mine in a drawer and if someone wanted to borrow it, they had to give a $10 deposit. Eventually, they just stopped asking.
I despise when people think you’re being unreasonable with your stuff or your space. Why don’t THEY keep a communal item/space then??? It’s not a big deal when you’re put out, but let THEM be in that position and see how they act.
Oh sorry, so many people were using my charger it got torn up.
This would be my answer.
NTA she needs to be a grown up and buy her own.
Nta. She could have just asked.
NTA you are allowed to be territorial over your literal belongings.
NTA why doesn’t she bring her charger with her?
NTA. It’s a matter of convenience rather than pettiness. She takes your charger without asking and doesn’t return it. Why should you go hunting around the office for your own charger?
NTA. Time for you to walk around and borrow things without asking for permission.