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comment by elizabeth
elizabeth  ·  951 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How to confront someone for potato theft?

Update on the situation:

Sent out an email, asking for availabilities to meet. She answers right away, asking what the meeting was about. When I stroll I to work around 1:30 pm, she asks if we can have that meeting as soon as possible. She’s having what looks like the start of an anxiety attack and says she already knows what it’s going to be about.

So we pawn off the new members tour that was about to start in 10 minutes to a veteran member that happened to be there and meet in the office. She basically breaks down crying, saying she has an appointment at the hospital tomorrow for psychiatric help with alcoholism, knows she fucked up and hopes not to be admitted to an in patient therapy . She had already left a hidden envelope with 40$ with the beer downstairs out of shame, and was working up the courage to confess what had happened to us. So…

It went better than I expected basically. She’s getting help, we’re gonna be better at locking drinks away post-party, and I feel like my biggest worry where she would deny and turn against us has been avoided. She seemed relieved to be able to confess, and grateful we did it in a private and respectful manner. I hope she gets the help she needs :)

I feel that the point was also made that we have cameras and that we don’t let these things slide. If we see any such behavior again, for sure there will be repercussions. But as of right now, that warning as well a seeing how she had already taken many steps to remedy the situation - we’re going to let things be.

Maybe the proper attitude would have been repercussions and consequences right away, but only time will tell if this was the right approach.





goobster  ·  951 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What a surprising outcome. Good... I guess?

Or is this what the kleptomaniac does every time she is caught/called out, to avoid taking responsibility for her actions?

Time will tell. My hope is she gets the help she needs and becomes a productive member of your community rather than a drag on your emotional resources.