Was I wrong or was this unsanitary and rude on his part?

Question

Our agency sometimes puts out food in the kitchen for employers. I made myself a bagle w/cream cheese. While I wasmaking myself a cup of coffee, a co-worker grabbed my bagel to move it. I did not know where his hands had been and I do not even know him well so I said incredolously: "I was going to eat that." He said, I just moved it. I figured he did not get it, so I waited until he left to avoid offending him, threw the bagel out and made a fresh one-there were plenty! He came back and saw me and asked if I had gotten a new one. I told him "yes, I am sorry when people touch my food(except cooks with clean hands and/or gloves-which I did not say) I don't eat it. He then accused me of being wasteful, throwing away a perfectly fine piece of food and said my actions were "kind of weird". I said "to each their own" and went about my business but was I wrong or was this just plain unsanitary and rude on his part? What about his actions after I got the new bagel?

Answer 1

I think he was very tacky.  He could have asked you to move the bagel if it was in his way.

I like the way you handled it.  You didn't over-react - he was just off the wall.  Why would he even ask if you got a new bagel.  It's really not his business, IMHO.

Answer 2

I agree it was rude on his part.  You don't touch other people's things without asking

Answer 3

You were playing it safe.  He shouldn't have touched your food with his bare hands.  It was both unsanitary and rude.

Answer 4

I would have responded, "If I don't know you well enough to know if you wash your hands after you pee then you shouldn't be touching my food."

Answer 5

Sweetie, you did just fine!!! he was VERY RUDE!!! I would have done exactly what you did. This is a scary world today and you can't be careful for nothing. I would prefer to be "wasteful" then "sick" any day.

I don't even like people standing over me and talking over my food while i'm eating. He would really call me weird! :)

Answer 6

I wouldn't have eaten the bagel either, you don't know what in the world he could have touched before he touched your bagel. He was rude, why couldn't he of asked if it was your bagel and if you could move it out of his way? You just don't touch other people's food.

Answer 7

EW, i'm not certified, and obviously you know your stuff, but that was so right on your part, sounds like you were very polite how you said it too. You don't know if he went to the restroom (guys have to hold their parts, ew!) and then didnt' wash his hands? And expected you to EAT that then? He should feel embarrassed!

Answer 8

You must not ever eat in restaurants.  LOL.  Do you really think you are going to die, or some horrible fate will become you because a co-worker touched your bagel?  Really,  if you had any idea where your food came from, you would never eat.  That toast that is served to you with breakfast, has probably been at another table.  It is wastefull and I think you are strange.  Someone touched the bagel before you got it. They touched the flour, the yeast, the oven and whoever put it out touched it.  Think about it.

Answer 9

He was rude.  What if he hadn't washed his hand very well after he used the restroom?  This is how people get food poisoning.  It's not from "bad" food, it's from dirty people.  I don't care who you are.  Don't touch my freaking food.  

For future reference, just tell him on the spot.  You said, "Hey, I was going to eat that" then you might as well have followed it with, "It's yours now, I am not comfortable with people touching my food."  Personally, I have had food poisoning one too many times to not stand up for myself.  

Sure, you are being a worry wart.  Sure, you're being a bit pedantic and uptight... so what?  He's being the north end of a southbound horse.

I've done the same thing as you.  I've had people tell me I'm wasteful, etc.  I don't give a p**p.  I just tell them to shove it.

Answer 10

You handled this very well.  Yes, he was rude, and I would have done the same thing.  You don't know where his hands have been, and our hands are the dirtiest parts of our bodies.

Like I said, you handled this well with your remark of "to each his own" and then just walking away.  Kudos

Answer 11

it was rude on his part.

he should've asked if it was yours first and if you could move it or just wait for you to move it.

like you said, if it would've been a friend of yours it would've been completely different lol.