Dear INagony,
My flatmate eats all my raspberry jam that my Mum makes for me. It’s really irritating but she’s argumentative so I’m worried about saying something. What do I do?
Hungry resident, Finsbury Park
Dear hungry resident
I see you’re in a bit of a sticky situation.
It’s small irritations like these that can cause a lot of resentment between housemates, so the situation really needs to be addressed before it gets worse.
At the end of the day, she’s taking something that’s yours but, as she’s argumentative, you’ll need to tread carefully.
Say that you’ve noticed your jam is depleting. Say that you’re happy to share it, but you would have preferred if she’d asked you. Adopt a breezy tone and if she gets defensive, say it’s something silly to fall out about. Make sure she knows it’s your Mum’s special jam and a luxury item which you want to savour.
Hopefully such a confrontation won’t jar your friendship too much. If she decides not to speak to you afterwards, at least you’ll be able to enjoy your jam-topped toast in peace.
(Alternatively, hide the jam under stacks of lettuce and yoghurts in the fridge.)
Best of luck,
Lydia
