Short Conversation in the Elevator

[TBA]

Other Person: "Did you hear the custodial workers are stealing snacks out of people's desks at night?"

Me: "Maybe they need the food."

Other Person: "Well, there are better ways to get it."

Me: "Pretty tough to live on minimum wage. Maybe they really need to eat."

Other Person: "Well there are other ways....&quot door closes).

I think I am going to bring in some snacks and put them out with a sign "For the Custodial Staff".

(BTW: I've never had anything missing from my desk or work area)

[badtoworse]

1. Why not order them a pizza or leave a bag of real food?

ETA: At my church, we make up baskets of food for our less fortunate neighbors. Thanksgiving is coming - why not organize something like that?

[TBA]

2. To be truthful, I was thinking fruit.

But I like the pizza idea.

[badtoworse]

4. See my edit. Maybe you could get others to help.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. I remember reading this book about Muhammad Ali

I remember reading this book about Muhammad Ali where he was informed that members of his entourage were stealing from and he said "maybe they need the money." He had a kind and gentle soul for somebody who beat people up for a living.

[Gman]

5. It's probably the guy in the elevator

Taking snacks. its a diversion

[B Calm]

17. That's a well known republican trait.

[ZombieHorde]

6. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Skittles]

7. just a note

it very rarely ever the custodial staff - set up a camera

and no one should advocate / excuse stealing

[Nay]

8. Exactly. It's usually a boss who makes a high salary. Greed is the impetus. nt

[mercuryblues]

13. entitlement

My daughter got a rare full ride scholarship to a private college. She learned the hard way that just because her dorm mates had disposable income available they still stole. My Mother in Law worked at a very elite private girls boarding school. She also knew that just because the girls came from money it did not keep them from stealing. She told me the richer the parents were the more likely you were to find the items in their kids dorm room. They feel they are entitled to others belongings.

[haele]

11. Agreed, IME most food "appropriators" in an office are either people working late/early -

Or security.
And when it's people working late/early, it's usually people who are in the upper levels (middle to upper management), not the grunt workers or low level paper pushers.
People on the low end of the pay scale tend not to steal personal food or property from desks unless they know they're leaving. Except for the facilities security people - they know how to get around the system and know who's got the good stuff.
Making an analysis from anecdote and personal experience, I actually think Office Kleptomania is a projection of power (YMMV).

IME, if they're hungry and stressed financially,the after hours custodians will typically nom on the left over donuts, cookies, or the veggie platter left over at the communal coffee mess - if it's obvious that the food is meant to be free for all.


Haele

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. Wait. How does that person know for sure it's the custodial staff?

[Skittles]

12. notice how both in the elevator assume it's the custodial staff

how convenient

[kelliekat44]

14. My thoughts exactly. You beat me to it. nt

[Hoyt]

10. It's always the custodial staff. I bet your elevator guy voted Republican.

Liked your response and idea.

[linuxman]

15. Hard to Know who is stealing.

I'd put up a game camera somewhere in my area/cubicle/whatever. For $50.00 it would be worth getting the thief found out. I hate thieves.

[mahina]

16. What is a game camera?

I need that! Thanks .

[linuxman]

20. A game camera

Is pretty much a camera with the ability to take time delayed pictures and motion detected pictures while your away. Mostly used to take pictures of wild game animals in forests.

[libtodeath]

18. Exactly how we are better then them

repukes only see it as someone taking from them while us liberals see the bigger picture of people hungry and suffering want to help.
They just want to punish them and walk away.
You are a real American hero!

[simak]

19. "Need" is a pretty subjective word.

In my office on two different occasions custodians were caught rifling through drawers after hours. Neither one looked particularly "hungry" to me, though I bet they both could have benefited from a little more opportunity.

Still, in the competition to provide opportunities to hungry people who steal and hungry people who don't, I don't feel bad about preferring to give to the honest.

[uppityperson]

21. Uh. Huh. eom