Can Your Workmates Take a Joke?

[LordCrumb]

So something happened after work tonight... me and a co-worker got back into town to our lock up, and saw someone had left the Key in the door..

Another co-workers car was parked inside (as it has a leak around the seals of the windscreen). So we opened his door and saw a multi-pack of 'Up and Go' drinks (a breakfast milk drink thing). As a laugh, we had one and put the empty carton on the roof of his car.

Little did I know how seriously this guy has taken it. He is fuming. Several texts and a telephone call later, he's still pissed. I really thought he would have laughed it off as a "those ****s! hahaha" sort of thing, but no he is genuinely mad about it. Keeps saying 'personal car, person items' type things.

When I called him and tried to explain it was a ****ing joke, he just kept going on and on about.. so I apologized in the end saying 'I had no idea you would react like this'.. he said It didn't sound like I meant it..

To be honest.. I didn't actually mean it. It was a joke and imo, he's overreacted big time.

Now this is a guy who has no problem losing other guys tools, or miss-placing them, or just damaging them, which I mentioned to him, but I don't know.. was I a ****, or just an idiot for not really knowing how he might react?

[PLG1962]

Very timely as I find these days you really cant joke around with people no matter how well you think you know them someone would take offense to something you do or say

Its a shame really but I guess its where this world is heading

[LordCrumb]

I ended up calling him again, as I won't see him tomorrow. I apologized and actually meant it this time. I didn't get it, but I do get it now. We've been working together quite well in the last year or so (after a real rough start) so I didn't want to be the one to **** it up again.

He accepted it, and appreciated it, so the air is all clear again.

[Abby is Q]

Unless there's more to the story, it sounds to me like there's something in his car he doesn't want you finding.

[Blu-Benny]

i'm the only guy in my unit at work......in general, the people here act as if they are still in high school which i f**king hate.

tattle-tales everywhere.

i make jokes all day long......some can be pretty crude so i stop just short of the money shot so i can't get in trouble.

i imply a lot of things but never actually say them.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i'm the only guy in my unit at work......in general, the people here act as if they are still in high school which i f**king hate.

tattle-tales everywhere.

i make jokes all day long......some can be pretty crude so i stop just short of the money shot so i can't get in trouble.

i imply a lot of things but never actually say them.

High School never ends.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by John Klein

High School never ends.

tell me about it.

i had a pretty bad health scare a couple years ago......missed almost a month of work, lost 50 lbs., and almost died. my kidneys started shutting down.

came back to work and parked in the underground parking lot which is closer to the doors. also wore a stocking cap b/c i was so cold all the time.

someone went to HR to report both of those things about me.

my supervisor pulled me aside to ask me about my hat......i was still pretty emotional about the whole thing and i freaked out on her.

told her i was already in the process of getting a dr's note for everything.

and it wasn't like it was a big secret why i was gone for so long.....the rumor mill was going and everyone knew what was going on.

[Scarriere]

Two of the biggest things that i miss about working on Drilling Rigs are the sense of accomplishment and the comraderie. We were always messing around with each other. Really bad jokes and really bad pranks all the time. It was great. It built camaraderie and gave us a sense of TEAM.
I've had similar experiences with other jobs, but never to the degree that I enjoyed in the Oil Patch. Working on The Rigs will always have a soft spot for me because of that.

[Captain Flint]

I used to work at a Meijer (for those of you who don't know what that is, it's basically a Wal-Mart) from age 20 to 22 and I worked with all older people than myself. Most of them 40's to 50's and they all handled jokes very well. I miss working with them. We all joked around with each other often and it took the stress of working in such a busy place away for a while.

[Erzengel]

I think this is somewhat close to the subject.

My friend went on an all girl's weekend to Vegas and invited one of their work friends. She was friendly enough at work, and lamented that she wanted to get away. However, it was evident right from the beginning that their out of work personalities were very different from their cordial at work personalities.

I think most of us here, especially those in a career, know that you can be 2 different people. You should have been real careful since it doesn't sound like you knew him that well that he blew up like that.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by LordCrumb

Now this is a guy who has no problem losing other guys tools, or miss-placing them, or just damaging them, which I mentioned to him, but I don't know.. was I a ****, or just an idiot for not really knowing how he might react?

This guy has real problems, and I doubt if you'll ever find out what they really are. Sounds like he needs to be outraged and angry at someone, and there's nothing you can do about it.


Make simple amends, stay away from the "his side/our side" thing. He's obviously somewhat crazy.


Let it go. One day he'll sh!t in his hat, wear it to work, and shout at anybody who asks him what the heck is going on.

[The Great Owl]

Be friendly with your co-workers, but don't be friends with them. That rule has served me well.

Sometimes, even friendliness doesn't help, though.

A couple of years back, I was going to an out-of-town training class for a day, along with a co-worker from across the building. The co-worker and I did not know one another, but one of the managers suggested that we carpool to the class, which was three hours away, since we lived near each other. We spoke briefly, agreed that the co-worker would drive the work vehicle, and that I would meet her at a grocery store parking lot next to her place.

That morning, I arrived at the grocery store lot until the co-worker arrived, and then I got into her car. As she was driving out, I made some pleasantries and asked her about how she was liking her job, as a way of making small talk.

The co-worker angrily snapped at me. "I know that you just want to talk, but I'm not in the mood right now, and I'd appreciated it if you just stayed quiet!"

I apologized, although I had nothing to apologize for. The co-worker snapped at me once again. "Just stop talking!"

I shrugged, and then told her, "I'm sorry, but this isn't going to work for me. Pull over and let me out of the car. Right now. I'll drive my own vehicle. Pull over and let me out."

The co-worker appeared really irritated, but she pulled over and let me out. I walked a half mile back to my truck, drove by myself to the training class, listened to my favorite music at full blast on my stereo, and laughed the whole time during the drive.

The following day, my manager told me that my co-worker had complained about my driving my own vehicle to the meeting. He reminded me, "You know that you won't get reimbursed for fuel, since you drove your own vehicle when there was a work vehicle available."
I told him what had happened, and then told him that it was worth every penny of fuel money not to have to sit in a car with her all the way through the long drive and back. He just laughed and told me that he would have done the same thing.

[toddly6666]

The Great Owl, now that is a great story!

[ThatOneGuy]

I'm that type in the mornings. My annoyance level is very low in the mornings and I can't stand small talk, although blowing up like that is way too extreme.

Although I wouldn't be the one driving people since I know I'm not a morning or people person.

[LordCrumb]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

Unless there's more to the story, it sounds to me like there's something in his car he doesn't want you finding.

HA! I thought the exact same thing, and so did the other co-worker who I told about it.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Be friendly with your co-workers, but don't be friends with them. That rule has served me well.

[Show spoiler]Sometimes, even friendliness doesn't help, though.

A couple of years back, I was going to an out-of-town training class for a day, along with a co-worker from across the building. The co-worker and I did not know one another, but one of the managers suggested that we carpool to the class, which was three hours away, since we lived near each other. We spoke briefly, agreed that the co-worker would drive the work vehicle, and that I would meet her at a grocery store parking lot next to her place.

That morning, I arrived at the grocery store lot until the co-worker arrived, and then I got into her car. As she was driving out, I made some pleasantries and asked her about how she was liking her job, as a way of making small talk.

The co-worker angrily snapped at me. "I know that you just want to talk, but I'm not in the mood right now, and I'd appreciated it if you just stayed quiet!"

I apologized, although I had nothing to apologize for. The co-worker snapped at me once again. "Just stop talking!"

I shrugged, and then told her, "I'm sorry, but this isn't going to work for me. Pull over and let me out of the car. Right now. I'll drive my own vehicle. Pull over and let me out."

The co-worker appeared really irritated, but she pulled over and let me out. I walked a half mile back to my truck, drove by myself to the training class, listened to my favorite music at full blast on my stereo, and laughed the whole time during the drive.

The following day, my manager told me that my co-worker had complained about my driving my own vehicle to the meeting. He reminded me, "You know that you won't get reimbursed for fuel, since you drove your own vehicle when there was a work vehicle available."
I told him what had happened, and then told him that it was worth every penny of fuel money not to have to sit in a car with her all the way through the long drive and back. He just laughed and told me that he would have done the same thing.

Oh yeah I totally know the difference between work-mates and mates. I don't socialize with anyone from work unless its a work related do. Everyone is different at home to how they are at a work place.

I feel ****ing stupid for even apologizing now that i've had more time to think about it. It just made me look weak really. Never again. A joke is a joke and if they can't deal with it, **** em'.