I’d like to know if there was an etiquette breach in the following situation.
I posted a couple weeks ago about the coworker I sit next to and her sensitivity to my lotion which, for now, no other conversation has taken place. But today, she made several comments that kind of made me say to myself, “wow, am I a leper?”
I am suffering from a sinus infection, which I am over the best of it, save for a few sniffles and nose-blowing. I’m not a honker, I discreetly turn away, bend over slightly and blow my nose if I can’t catch it in time. Other times, I walk away from my desk and go to a corner and blow.
Coworker has made the following remarks:
“Cookiehappy, are you sick?” (I replied: Yes, getting past a sinus infection, believe it or not the worst it over and I chuckle)
“Ugh, you need to go home.” (I replied: I’m fine, not contagious. Plus, I have reports to finish)
“I’d go home if I were you.” (I replied: Well, I have to be here, I have work to do)
“Is there anything I can do for you so you can go home?” (I replied: coworker, you’re making too much of this, please drop it)
EH, it’s not like I am hacking and spewing germs all over the place. She’s making me to feel as if I can’t even breathe in her direction.
Now, she has taken to staring at me at the slightest sniffle. I’m thinking of repositioning my monitor so I can face away from her.
Any thoughts?