So a colleague recently came back from the US and kept getting us Lindor Truffles everyday. Day before yesterday, I was feeling fattened by them, so I decided to keep them in my office to eat later. There was also a Ghirardelli Square (86% dark, let's just call it GD)
Yesterday morning, I checked and both Lindors were gone, along with my bag of raisins, which I normally stock (mostly for eating with Lindt 90% dark chocolate - if you have not tried it, you are missing something). The GD and the bag of dates were intact.
So I sent an email to campus security, notifying them of this incident. Since I assumed, the folks who ate the other stuff were not interested in the dates and GD that they left behind, I let them be where they were.
This morning, those also were gone. I sent them an email again and lamented the incident. In 15 minutes, two officers were in my cabin, explaining that the night cleaning crew had admitted to eating stuff. Normally they are accompanied by security officers while the cabin is unlocked and cleaned. Apparently the food was shared with generous good-will amongst everyone (partners in crime). And they also informed me that both parties were terminated. Terminated! I felt a jolt and a pang of guilt. I just caused two folks a job-loss :( I repeatedly asked the security officers if they cannot just let them go with a warning. They said they cannot :(
This is the classic dharam-sankat. On the one side, there is the argument that this time it was food, next time it can be something more precious (I have lost photographs earlier when I was occupying a cube, since which I stopped putting anything outside, till I moved into a cabin, assuming that since I lock it, the stuff is safe). Or that it was the right thing to do so more people don't start seeing thefts. But then on the other side, was a little bit of food worth a job for a couple of men? :(
I guess the midde-ground is that I stop stocking any food, so I don't tempt anybody into flicking it off in the first place. Is that a win-win for everyone?
Oh god!
Yesterday morning, I checked and both Lindors were gone, along with my bag of raisins, which I normally stock (mostly for eating with Lindt 90% dark chocolate - if you have not tried it, you are missing something). The GD and the bag of dates were intact.
So I sent an email to campus security, notifying them of this incident. Since I assumed, the folks who ate the other stuff were not interested in the dates and GD that they left behind, I let them be where they were.
This morning, those also were gone. I sent them an email again and lamented the incident. In 15 minutes, two officers were in my cabin, explaining that the night cleaning crew had admitted to eating stuff. Normally they are accompanied by security officers while the cabin is unlocked and cleaned. Apparently the food was shared with generous good-will amongst everyone (partners in crime). And they also informed me that both parties were terminated. Terminated! I felt a jolt and a pang of guilt. I just caused two folks a job-loss :( I repeatedly asked the security officers if they cannot just let them go with a warning. They said they cannot :(
This is the classic dharam-sankat. On the one side, there is the argument that this time it was food, next time it can be something more precious (I have lost photographs earlier when I was occupying a cube, since which I stopped putting anything outside, till I moved into a cabin, assuming that since I lock it, the stuff is safe). Or that it was the right thing to do so more people don't start seeing thefts. But then on the other side, was a little bit of food worth a job for a couple of men? :(
I guess the midde-ground is that I stop stocking any food, so I don't tempt anybody into flicking it off in the first place. Is that a win-win for everyone?
Oh god!
9 comments:
It may not be an exact win-win situation if the guys carry a grudge unless they are rehabilitated elsewhere !!!Enquire discreetly if they have been posted in some other site. Also be on guard for a few days, especially on the way home....daad
Is it a fair middle ground or the best u can do?
@Dad - yes, need to.
@Monish - I guess it is the best I can do?
I think you did right in reporting. Some lessons are learnt the hard way unfortunate but necessary. People need to learn to respect their job and others space.
I have stolen food of my friend cube but they could always guess it was me and that is why they would leave it on their desk knowing I would go for it. But I never steal from anybody I don't know.
May be we should be more careful the next time where we put our stuff.. If it was somewhere where they can easily see it, I will not blame them for having those. General assumption being its for everyone's consumption? Somehow makes me feel that one should not be so upright about trivial things. I certainly am not, and no this is not holier than thou attitude, for sure. Middle ground would have been you putting a label saying "don't touch" or something to that effect, and if it repeated again, then doing what you did. Then there would be no guilt for you.
@Anonymous2 - The stuff was under lock and key inside a cabinet. And I am not sure people would understand a "Do Not Touch" sign!
@All - in general I think I would not have done it if I would have known the repercussions of it. But now it is too late, one more lesson learnt.
Chocolate always has a dark side to it. Dark chocolate even more.
If it was under lock and key, then your actions and the repercussions were well deserved.
@Anonymous - I guess so!
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