# You've been out of the office for a few days; What's missing from your desk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730 "2007-10-31T16:26:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/1 "2007-10-31T16:26:45Z")
I was out for four days, returning this morning. So far, I’m missing all my whiteboard markers (and eraser), my scissors and my stapler. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/2 "2007-10-31T16:28:05Z")
I, fortunately, have a door in my cube-like structure that I fondly call an office, which locks. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/3 "2007-10-31T16:29:59Z")
Dust. Anytime I’m away from the office and my employees are present, they do a major cleaning. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/4 "2007-10-31T17:02:05Z")
You keep those things out on your desk? :eek: I have one stapler sitting on my desk. It’s small and rather old, so people tend to ignore it…but it’s the best stapler I’ve ever used. I have two other staplers, and two pairs of scissors; these are kept in a desk drawer, along with my tape dispenser, gum, and spare writing utensils. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/5 "2007-10-31T17:10:26Z")
I’m on vacation this week. When I return, I don’t expect to be able to find the pen, marker or post-it note pad that were on my desk when I left. It also wouldn’t surprise me if someone has gone into my cupboard and taken some, or maybe all, of my gum. It’s a good thing I brought home my milk, bagels and cream cheese, or those would definitely be gone. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/6 "2007-10-31T17:55:44Z")
[QUOTE=Jeep’s Phoenix] You keep those things out on your desk? :eek: I have one stapler sitting on my desk. It’s small and rather old, so people tend to ignore it…but it’s the best stapler I’ve ever used. I have two other staplers, and two pairs of scissors; these are kept in a desk drawer, along with my tape dispenser, gum, and spare writing utensils. [/QUOTE] I’m very messy. Occassionally I’ll push everything into one of my drawers, but that’s really it in the way of tidying up. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/7 "2007-10-31T18:04:48Z")
Dictionary will have walked. (I’m an editor, I need it!) Pens, highlighters etc never seem to last more than a day even when I am in the office; I lose count of how often I have to fetch new ones. I suspect some of my colleagues may be eBaying them 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/8 "2007-10-31T18:06:58Z")
Back when I worked in an open-plan office the Post-it pads seemed to go missing every time I blinked. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/9 "2007-10-31T18:33:16Z")
Only one thing has ever gone conspicuously missing from my desk in the five years I’ve worked here (other than folks who absentmindedly wandered off with pens, notepads, etc.): my Zulu-Extreme nerf blow-dart gun. Left the darts, took the gun. Who would want that? My _mouth_ had been on it! ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/10 "2007-10-31T18:44:44Z")
[QUOTE=NailBunny] Only one thing has ever gone conspicuously missing from my desk in the five years I’ve worked here (other than folks who absentmindedly wandered off with pens, notepads, etc.): my Zulu-Extreme nerf blow-dart gun. Left the darts, took the gun. Who would want that? My _mouth_ had been on it! [/QUOTE] Pic? Cite? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/11 "2007-10-31T18:49:10Z")
[QUOTE=Winston Smith] Pic? Cite? [/QUOTE] It’s gone! How can s/he provide a pic? ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/12 "2007-10-31T18:53:00Z")
I play this game every Monday! The girl who subs for me on Sundays (because I unreasonably refuse to work six days a week) routinely steals any office supply or personal item left where she can get her hands on it. I’ve gotten to where I lock my desk just to slow her down. The woman steals my prescription hand lotion. I went through 9 staplers before I started locking them up. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/13 "2007-10-31T18:57:50Z")
The problem is nothing is EVER missing. Only 4 days worth of paperwork and messages piled up. I wish someone would take those. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/14 "2007-10-31T18:58:12Z")
All my pens Paper clips Log book Letter opener ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/15 "2007-10-31T19:04:57Z")
I was gone the same four days as the OP (this was my first morning back at work after a four day weekend). Nothing missing but snacks, but my people know they have an open invitation to help themselves. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/16 "2007-10-31T19:38:05Z")
Nothing. I have an individual office and no one would come in here when I’m not here. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/17 "2007-10-31T19:41:57Z")
Not a damn thing, if people want to live! Locked, alarmed classroom. The only people in here when I’m gone is Cavalry Chapel, who use my room for daycare while services are taking place in the MPR. ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/18 "2007-10-31T19:52:10Z")
I have the opposite problem. Nothing goes missing, the crap just piles up. My assistant manager is a college kid with whom I share the office. Every morning, I walk in to find an assortment of empty potato chip bags, half-empty drink cups, homework, you name it. ---
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/19 "2007-10-31T19:53:55Z")
Nothing. Nada. They steal everything when I’m here… Otherwise, since I’m the only one back in this corner of the cube farm, they don’t work their way this far back. Eli ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730/20 "2007-10-31T21:12:42Z")
Not a problem anymore, but when I was working, I worked in a lab. At my last company, leave for a week (or even a day!) and you’re lucky to have your desk back! We were very overcrowded, and people had the good workstations based on seniority, but even then, if you left, you’d have to remind the newbies that this is your spot and you’d like to get your work done today! It was a major headache, and definitely contributed to my decision to leave and go back to school! As for supplies; I had a habit of keeping everything in my lab coat pockets, so I had everything I needed wherever I happened to be! At the job before that; that’s where I got the everything-in-the-pocket habit, because certain items would disappear so quickly! Pens were one thing, but items like tweezers, magnetic stir bars, spatulas and hi-liters would be gone if you turned your back on them for more than a minute. One psycho, and I dearly wish I had found out who it was, actually took two stir bars _out of two flasks while they were stirring_. Seriously, that’s like yanking the pen out of someone’s hand while they’re trying to write! _Don’t take that, I’m DOING MY JOB!_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-been-out-of-the-office-for-a-few-days-whats-missing-from-your-desk/424730.md?page=2)