It was a Friday and Meredith in Lexington, Massachusetts was pretty much running on auto-pilot when she made the mistake of microwaving leftover tacos for lunch — FISH tacos. Much to her horror, Meredith says, “The smell immediately permeated the office and got everyone talking and wondering who had committed one of the worst office kitchen taboos — second only to burned microwave popcorn.”
In an attempt to make things right, Meredith says, “I then asked some software engineers, who like to bake frozen cookie dough in the toaster oven, if they would help me cover up my secret shame by baking some sweet-smelling cookies. This is the note they left for all to see.”
related: To spray or not to spray?; Eau dear
60 responses so far ↓
#1
nauseous
we have a guy at work who blends up tinned mackerel for his lunch. he blends it up in our airless teeny wee kitchen and the smell is verrrry lingery! smells like old peoples pee pees. (i work in a hospital so know only too well how old peoples pee pees smell
)
Dec 6, 2012 at 3:37 pm rating: 90
#2
SilentPsycho
Kill the software engineers, they appear to have douchebagitus. With a laser from space if possible – it’s the only way to make sure…
Seriously, if someone doesn’t like it, they can open a window or something. You shouldn’t have to feel bad because you like something that other people don’t. I don’t like fish myself, but if someone brings in fish leftovers to eat, I don’t care.
Dec 6, 2012 at 3:40 pm rating: 90
#3
QBall
better it comes from the kitchen than the loo
Dec 6, 2012 at 3:56 pm rating: 90
#4
shwo!
Is Meredith’s burnt fish lunch before or after her blooming red flower?
Dec 6, 2012 at 4:02 pm rating: 90
#5
Jolly
It is one thing if someone is a serial fish-stinker, but this happened at work the other day and I was absolutely fucking mortified by the ridiculous whining coming from two of my coworkers. Watching grown-ass adults act like obnoxious middleschoolers because someone made food they don’t like the smell of is WAY more nauseating than fish smell. Sorry you work with douches, Meredith!
Dec 6, 2012 at 4:17 pm rating: 90
#6
Jami
You want to know how to get rid of the smell? White vinegar and lemons. Slice some lemons into a bowl of white vinegar and boil it on the stove top for the smell or in the microwave. The latter has the added benefit of it helping to loosen up crud from other people’s dishes and make cleaning it easier.
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:07 pm rating: 90
#7
Blinx
I LOVE burnt popcorn!!!
Fish cookies…not so much.
Dec 6, 2012 at 5:50 pm rating: 90
#8
Mar
We had these “health nuts” (if your fish smells fishy it is NOT fresh and NOT good!) reheating fish in the microwave at work. It would STINK STINK STINK, no windows , old building and my office is across from the lunch room. No manner of “can you not bring that to work” to them and in the newsletter worked. So I started to prance into the lunch room whenever the offenders offended and said “OH Who is having the dirty PANTY party in here” they haven’t reheated fish in months! ha ha ha.
Dec 7, 2012 at 5:52 am rating: 90
#9
The Elf
Tip: If you’re having fish for lunch (or curry or whatever freaks out the co-workers), microwave it at home and put it in an insulated container. Still warm by lunch. Some dishes taste great room temperature (the bento way) or cold.
If you must microwave at work, do it for very little time. Your fish will be warm and the smell will not be as overpowering.
Also, some fish doesn’t smell as much as others. Salmon seems to be the least stinky.
Dec 7, 2012 at 6:46 am rating: 90
#10
KD
I’d rather smell fish than the five to ten sprays of perfume most people like to wear.
Dec 7, 2012 at 7:44 am rating: 90
#11
Brian
1. Am I really to believe that this woman didn’t know that microwaving fish wouldn’t result in an overwhelming fish stink through the immediate area? I have a hard time swallowing that. More likely she didn’t expect the response.
2. I love the individualist / collectivist debate that this brings up every time I hear it. Does someone have the moral right to offend the senses of their coworkers? Is it OK to do something that benefits you, at the expense of others?
3. I do agree people go way overboard. Yes it stinks. Yes, you are forced to be there by the need to pay the rent. No, it’s not in any way the same as a chemical attack.
Dec 7, 2012 at 8:14 am rating: 90
#12
Eat.Shit.Sleep
When someone said to “open a window” to get the fish smell out…I was thinking offices don’t have windows so they’re employees won’t commit suicide.
Also, someone can call in sick for fish headaches, that make you want to vomit.
Dec 7, 2012 at 9:13 am rating: 90
#13
Fireseeker
What’s up with heating up raw cookie dough in the toaster oven?
Dec 7, 2012 at 9:20 am rating: 90
#14
NullPointerException
This is the kind of note I might leave. But then I also work in software development.
Dec 7, 2012 at 3:14 pm rating: 90
#15
crystal
is anyone else getting the Pillsbury doughboy cookie dough ad? lol
Dec 7, 2012 at 4:32 pm rating: 90
#16
Wrench
My feelings on my office can be summed up thus: On my last day, I plan to microwave tinned sardines and a bag of popcorn for 20 minutes on my way out the door.
Dec 7, 2012 at 4:58 pm rating: 90
#17
OceanBlue
I had a co-worker who would reheat some variation of seafood at least twice a week. The smell was so vile it actually made me sick a few times and I had to leave the office. She would act apologetic when I came back, but a few days later she’d do it again. Just have a little decency. I have adjusted my lunches to suit allergies of co-workers, so I don’t think it’s out of line to keep fish, or other strong-smelling items, at home.
Dec 7, 2012 at 8:08 pm rating: 90
#18
kermit
This is why I am a staunch supporter of removing the microwave from office kitchens everywhere. If you want to heat up your lunch, there’s nothing wrong with using the toaster oven to do it. Burnt stuff in the toaster over doesn’t smell nearly as awful as microwave burnt stuff. And I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find stuff cooked / warmed in the microwave to always taste a bit off, no matter if the microwave is clean or not.
Dec 7, 2012 at 9:00 pm rating: 90
#19
ulu
Meridith:
If you want to leave work early use the stairs,sliding down the bannister causes an unearthly fishy smell.
Dec 8, 2012 at 9:01 am rating: 90
#20
Escapist
How about you stop being such damn sissies and man up. Fish smells like fish. If you don’t like the smell of fish, ignore it. I personally don’t like the smell of mint, but I still brush my damn teeth with it without throwing a tantrum.
Dec 8, 2012 at 10:52 pm rating: 90
#21
Vulpis
Of course, then there’s the whole problem of someone else cooking something that smells *good*, which makes your stomach increasingly gnaw your insides with hunger while you wait for their slow a** to come back from their 90 to 120-minute lunch ‘hour’ so you can take your own…
Dec 9, 2012 at 12:27 am rating: 90
#22
Trekkie Gal
I can sympathize with the people in Meredith’s office. I worked with a guy who heated up his leftover salmon loaf in the toaster oven. The reek was overwhelming. Everyone who was able to leave the office left, and those of us who had to stay opened every window (fortunately we were in a building with windows that opened) to try to get rid of the stench. Some things should just not be heated up in the presence of others…or ever!
Dec 10, 2012 at 10:59 am rating: 90
#23
Joe Blow
I don’t like the smell of most people’s lunches, so I don’t really care if they don’t like the smell of mine. People in offices are usually whiny douches to begin with, so carefully walking on eggshells in everything you do in an attempt to make sure you don’t offend anybody is way more effort than it’s worth. And sometimes still doesn’t work.
Usually, just being aware of those around you and using some common sense is enough. Other times, you just have to suck it up and deal with it..
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:47 am rating: 90
#24
Amy in Toronto
There’s a guy in my office that I call Burnt Toast Guy because every day at 2pm without fail, he makes a few slices of whole wheat toast and eats them with sliced apples. Every day at 2:05 pm, the smoke alarm goes off on our floor.
I personally like the smell of toast; I find it very homey-smelling. Burnt toast, not so much.
But microwave popcorn is a godawful stink. I refer to that as Chernobylcorn.
Dec 13, 2012 at 3:34 pm rating: 90
#25
Fedka the Convict
I worked in a mid-town Manhattan high-rise with a really wonderful Korean lady. We all got on well; the only problem was at lunch time when she’d open her lunch which usually included generous helpings of Kimchi.
The stink of kimchi wafting through the ventilation system would drive the entire floor outside for lunch; she for the most part was unconcerned.
Dec 22, 2012 at 4:14 pm rating: 90
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