Waiting for the microwave??

Question

What would be the proper path to take when waiting for someones food in the micro? Today @ work, I got into the break room @ the same time as a co-worker did. I let her go first cuz that whole "ladies first" crap. Anyways, she put her food in for 3 min and vanished. The micro beeped, and beeped, and beeped and she was nowhere in sight. I sat there for 4 minutes waitin for her to come and she didnt. Would I have been right if I had taken the food out and set it down on the counter? Cuz I didnt. But I thought about it...

Answer 1

Take her food out of microwave, Put your stuff inside. When She arrives just tell what you did ?

Answer 2

I would have set the food on the counter. I've done this in the past several times. It is there responsibility to watch their food. You were on your lunch break and you time was important.

Also, no more of this letting a woman go first just because she is a woman. If you are there first, put your food in. How much consideration did she show you by going off and doing what ever?

Answer 3

Of course the proper thing to do is remove the food. I'm sure she expected it and would have done the same if the situation were reversed. If it had been important to her that nobody touch her food, she would have waited for it.....

It probably didn't even occur to her, unless she saw you still waiting there when she got back, that you *would* wait for her to return before using the microwave.

The microwave is a communal tool. The rules for communal tools:

-- If you need it and its in use, you wait until its available.
-- If its "poised for use" but the user is not around and doesn't show up within 20 seconds, its not in use.
-- If its not in use, you can use it.

Answer 4

That would not bother me at all - I would consider it totally acceptable. After you were done you might put her food back in - - all likelihood she would not even know.

However in my opinion she was very inconsiderate to you. Lunch at work is usually supposed to be a quick thing - she took up a lot of your time.

Maybe you could post a note - "Please do not leave your food in the microwave, it will be tampered with!!" (humor for levity)

Answer 5

Just remove her food. Cook your food. Put her food back in the micro for 30 seconds just to warm it up for her. When she comes back tell her what you did.

Answer 6

i'm a women and i'm sorry that a fellow female did something to annoy you. but if i were you i would take the food out. she should have nice enough to wait for three minutes and then take her food out. the microwave isn't just for her you have the right to use it when you want to. she was being very selfish by making you wait. next time take it out. they have no right to make you wait.

Answer 7

I would have taken her food out, put your food in and when your food was done, just stick hers back in the microwave. Then it is someone else's problem to deal with.

Answer 8

Of course you would be right. That gal was a bit inconsiderate in her actions but that shouldn't tie up the oven. She can reheat it again if she wants to. Breaks only last a short time. Good luck!

Answer 9

Of course take it out. If she has a problem with it, tell her to not leave her food unattended because other people are waiting to use the oven.

Answer 10

I think you would have been perfectly justified. After all, you probably both have the same amount of time for lunch. She should have been more thoughtful. She did know you were there waiting to use the machine so there's no excuse for her.

Answer 11

Torre is right!

I usually add a funny statement when they return, like 'guess you will have to reheat it when I am done', with a laugh. It drives the point home.