I Don't Want Your Smoke

Feb 21

I have a new coworker, and he smokes cigarettes. I had no idea that I cared so much until he started his new job recently. Now I have had coworkers who smoked in the past, but they were never close enough in proximity to make a huge difference to me. That is I could smell the stench when I got close to them, but I did not need to be close to them to do my work on a regular basis. However this new coworker is in the cubicle right next to me so suffice to say he is very close to where I need to be to do my work on a regular basis.

Everyday I find myself trying to figure out his smoking break schedule so that I can tell when I want to take a nice stroll around to see what everyone else is up to. I find myself trying to cover my nose (even though I know that the third-hand smoke can easily get through whatever it is that I’m using to cover it). Somehow, whether real or imagined into being, I find that sometimes I will feel slightly ill right around the time that he comes back from his smoke break.

The coworker does not help the situation very much because he is hardly friendly. He pretty much keeps to himself even when everyone else is chatting. He seems content to be in his world, and subsequently I do not really have a relationship with him. He does not seem stupid so I am pretty sure that he is aware of all of the warnings about the detrimental effects of smoking. At least he knows that he has to go outside to smoke. In any case, I have been thinking about what I can do about this little problem. Some ideas that I have had:

• Post a sign about smoking (which might get me onto Passive Aggressive Notes)

• Move all of his stuff to another cubicle far away and print out a paper directing him to his new location as a result of some hazard located only in his cubicle with thanks and regrets from “The Management”

• Complain loudly to everyone except to him. If he asks me about it then just deny, deny, deny

• Get a fan (its size depending on how passive aggressive I’m feeling) and turn it on whenever he comes back from a smoke break

• Complain to human resources that I am in an unsuitable environment

• As soon as he gets back from his smoke breaks loudly take my laptop and stomp over to another cubicle or office to start working there

Or I just realized that I could just you know…talk to him and tell him how I feel.