Pexels/Reddit

Work has a funny way of making the smallest things feel enormous.

In this story, an employee sat across from a coworker who unpacked an asiago bagel with garlic and onion cream cheese every morning, in an office barely big enough for two desks.

Growing increasingly fed up with the pungent smell, she politely asked for the bagel to be moved to the break room.

So when the coworker got defensive, the employee had no choice but bring the matter to their manager.

Now she’s wondering if wanting breathable air at her own desk is too much to ask.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA the bagel debacle

For starters, I share a very small office.

Two desks in one small room. Every morning when I come in, my coworker has a bag sitting on their desk, and I just KNOW what is in there.

This bagel features some pretty pungent ingredients, so lately it’s caused some drama between the two coworkers.

It’s an asiago bagel with garlic and onion cream cheese. It stinks up our entire building, not just our office.

I have asked them twice now to please eat it in the break room, to which they get very defensive.

I’m not sure if it’s just the flavor and smell combinations, but some days it makes my stomach turn.

This employee this her coworker should have plenty of time to eat her breakfast elsewhere.

Side note, this coworker drops their kid off at school, then comes to work, leaving them with 30-45 minutes just waiting in the parking lot.

I do not understand why they cannot eat it during their commute or while wasting time waiting to come into the office.

At this point, it feels like they are doing it to annoy me.

The employee soon got leadership involved, but turns to Reddit for validation.

I have gone to my manager about this because, like I said, some days it just makes me sick to my stomach.

Please tell me, AITA?

Having a strong sense of smell can be quite the curse.

What did Reddit have to say?

This user has a nuanced take on who’s really at fault.

This commenter thinks the behavior is just plain rude.

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This redditor is just getting hungry.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a sister who feels badly about unknowingly encouraging her younger brother to play with bullies.

Maybe some stinky revenge is in order.

This coworker probably doesn’t see a stink bomb when she looks at her bagel, she just sees breakfast. It’s unlikely she’s doing this out of any real malice.

But in the employee’s defense, the whole thing is a bit inconsiderate. When you share such close quarters with a coworker, it’s the polite thing to do to be mindful of any smells that may upset the people around you.

Surely these two colleagues can find a compromise somewhere.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.