bad breath in your face?
By joimarquez
@joimarquez (1836)
United States
May 21, 2007 12:05am CST
someone talks to me and has a bad breath. He gets closer and it keeps getting worse. smells like puke. i offered him a breath mint or piece of gum and he says "no thank u" and continues. i know we all get it sometimes but what do u think i should do? Im currently working with this person and we need to brainstorm about work alot.....so any suggestions?
3 people like this
5 responses
@daveisdavid (878)
• Singapore
21 May 07
Insist on giving him the breath mint. If not, hold your breath when he's talking to you next time.
1 person likes this
@vega83 (6342)
• Bahrain
29 May 07
You know, it's not so much the actual topic that appealed to me, but the way you described it. It was clear but so funny and I could actually imagine the whole thing, like the scene out of a comedy, a good comedy.. Great writing skills on this one...
Well, for me, honesty is always the best policy... You can be nice about it, but it's usually hard for people to take hints.. Of course, you'd rather wanna do this when this person is in a good mood, and when no one else is around. But eventually you will have to come out with it. You could pretend to have bad breath yourself one day, and say "God, my breath stinks" that will get a laugh out of him, then you can lean in closer, and say "hey, yours does too", not only would it be funny, but the person wouldn't feel that embarrassed because you admitted it first... And now that the ice is broken you can tell him this any other day without having the fear of hurting him...or having a strain on the work relationship....
@vega83 (6342)
• Bahrain
29 May 07
yeah, well, it's worth a shot, everyone is a little light hearted somewhere inside, however, if it doesn't work, consider this my disclaimer, ha ha.
But seriously, and this is a proven fact, that you have to give some of yourself, in order for someone to give back, like if you want someone to share a secret with you, it would be easier and better if you shared one about yourself, it's a better approach, we're all human, but sometimes we forget that about each other. So, it just might work..
@joimarquez (1836)
• United States
29 May 07
LOL. I could do that but he is a serious person. He doesnt smile or mingle with other people, he just talks about work. The other day i tried the gum again and this time he took but hid it in his pocket....grrrr :( so its a little hopeless.... i'll try your advice tommorow and will see how it goes.
1 person likes this
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
29 May 07
I use to work with someone like this as well. She would always turn me down when I offered her a breathe mint or a piece of gum. I tried to just deal with it because I didn't want to offend her. I tried to just suck on a breathe mint myself when she was around, tried to breath through my mouth so that I wouldn't have to smell it,tried to spray air freshner just before she entered the room, and lit candles in the room as well. I can't really say that any of these totally fixed the problem but it did cut some of the odor.
@joimarquez (1836)
• United States
29 May 07
i wonder why they always turn down the mint. its for the own good, geeezzz....
i will try the stinky breath tip from vega and the air freshner...
@nicmichiole (151)
• Philippines
21 May 07
just tell him, it takes a lot of courage to do that. but he'll appreciate it if you'll be honest to him. of course don't tell him when there are people around, whisper it to him or something :)
1 person likes this
@joimarquez (1836)
• United States
21 May 07
he might get mad...or he might take it personally, my job will be at risk.
