u/ImMarilyn

The receptionist at my work has called in and missed work at least 25 times this year. She was fired from her previous job for being "unreliable." It is always something. Like her car broke down / family emergency / etc. These absences always happen when she has to work a lot.

I am not her supervisor. However, every time something happens and she thinks about leaving or missing work she always asks me, "What should I do?" I always tell her, "I'm not the one to ask."

Most recently, she said "My eye hurts. Should I go to the ER?" I said, "That's your decision." What on earth is wrong with this woman? Why does she keep asking me what to do?

My pencil was on my desk on the other side of the building, so I said, "You can Google it."
The next day, I was far from my desk, and my pencil, again. She said, "Can I borrow your pencil?" I did not feel comfortable with that, so I reached into the office supplies, pulled out the first pencil I could find and said "Here, use this one."
Please help me to understand. Why would someone want to see a pencil? Why would someone want to borrow MY pencil when they should know darn well that I use it constantly throughout the day? I am so confused. Someone please help me understand.

For example, when they bring the food and set it in front of you, do I say "Thank you" as a woman getting the princess treatment? I normally do say "Thank you" but will it confuse the wait staff if I don't speak and then say, "Thank you?" What are the rules?

I always thought that Liz and I had a good repour. I asked her if she could order some cotton dish cloths. I said, "because they are biodegradable, inexpensive and don't hold on to bacteria as bad as the synthetic sponges."

She replied, "or we could just get a large pack of some of those plastic tube things where you put the detergent in that has the sponge on the end."

I was floored. I just went to my desk. Tom told me that he buys things all the time, and Jerry reimburses him. Then I walked back and said, "Never mind the cleaning things, I will just buy them myself and Jerry can reimburse me." Then Liz says, "Did you discuss it with Jerry?" I replied, "It has already been discussed. Case closed."

Needless to say, things have not been the same with me and Liz since then. Why couldn't she just order the dish cloths like a normal person?

My sweet husband said "What about that, you both have the same name..." or something to that effect. Then the woman said, "I'm sorry." Why did the woman say this? Did she just not want to talk? Why would someone say "I'm sorry" when they didn't do anything wrong? I did not participate in this conversation at all. I just smiled politely and listened. Whether I am being too sensitive or not, I still would like to know why.

At my work, it's me (the senior accountant), the new secretary "Liz", two bosses and that's it. It's hard to get Liz to pull her weight. One of my bosses has also noticed this. Liz won't even get up and refill the copy paper. The rest of us put in a solid day. One day Liz said to me "They make you do everything around here. Do you think they pay you enough?" She meant me personally. What would you say to such a comment? I feel if she would do her job, that would make it easier on everyone. Should I put her to work or what?

Why does this receptionist act so weird? Every time I go to the copy machine, she stares at me and says "I'm not feeling well." She does this ever single day. Today she even stopped me as I was walking in the hall and said "Is it cold in here, or am I coming down with something?" I said "It's cold in here" then I got the heck away from her. Then she went into the bathroom and started coughing so loud that the entire building could hear her. Then she came out and said "I don't feel well. I'm going home." She is clearly faking it, and she is constantly saying that she is sick in order to gauge whether or not I'm sympathetic (I'm not, but I try not to be rude.) I want her to stop. I don't care if she takes time off. I just want her to leave me out of it. It's like she thinks I'm a sucker. If she acts like she is dying, then she assumes that I will say to my boss "Yessir Mr. Jensen, she's real sick." I am really frustrated with her looking at me and saying "I'm sick" or some version of that statement every single day.

I am just scratching the surface with this lunatic. She also tells me "This place would fall apart without you; they make you do everything." Then she asks invasive questions like "Do you think you get paid enough?" Yeah, crazy stuff like that.

One day we started talking about pencils and she asked if she could see my pencil (that was on the other side of the building). I told the name of the pencil and told her to Google it. The next day, she asked to borrow the pencil (again, on the other side of the building) and I told her "no."

I have been there for 10 years, and this weirdo has only been there a year. I need suggestions please.