When someone offers you a mint...

[Ethros]

Does this ever happen to anyone?
When someone offers you a mint (or chewing gum, tic tac, whatever), whoever it is, in any circumstance... do you wonder "are they trying to say I have bad breath?"

Maybe I'm just paranoid, as far as I know I don't suffer from bad breath, but I still always think it when this happens. 'Are they just being polite and friendly, or are they saying my breath stinks and don't want to have to smell it anymore?'

I don't know! Therefore I always take one anyway, just in case

 

[RJDiogenes]

As long as they don't offer me a bar of soap and deodorant along with it, I don't worry.

 

[Pingfah]

Nobody ever offers me mints.

 

[InklingStar]

I usually offer mints when I am taking one myself. Just trying to be courteous, especially just after lunch.

 

[tharpdevenport]

It's poisoned. Don't eat it. Or give it to the co-worker promoted over you.

 

[Luckyflux]

If they are pulling out a mint for themselves and you are there, then they are probably just being polite.

 

[RoJoHen]

They usually only offer if they are getting one for themselves as well, so I think they're just being polite. I always decline.

 

[JiNX-01]

Hmmm... when someone offers me a mint -- or I offer them a mint -- it's because we like mints.

 

[Withers]

This is akin to the statement "Gosh, you look tired." This is a backdoor way of saying "You look like shit." It's one of those things that I would never do to someone. I would just never say "You look tired." It's rude. But I've had plenty of people say that to me over the years and have never been anything but quietly irritated afterward.

As to the mints (gum, tic tac, candy whatever)- it's a different scenario. If they're fishing gum out of their bag and are typically the person who chews gum and then, as an afterthought, offers me a piece I'll take it without any suspicion that my breath was in need of assistance. If, however, it is a person I haven't noted to chew gum or use mints regularly and they don't eat one first but instead offer it to me- well, there's no denying I didn't do a well enough job brushing that morning or something.

"You look tired..."
"You know what, you're a bitch- I am tired as I didn't have a particularly good night last night and you're noting that I don't look so great isn't helping anything- but thanks."
"...I just meant because your shirt isn't as pressed as it normally is..."
"... Oh, right... well you're still a bitch."

-Withers-​

 

[Withers]

Double post (Couldn't delete it)

 

[Kestra]

"You look tired..."
"You know what, you're a bitch- I am tired as I didn't have a particularly good night last night and you're noting that I don't look so great isn't helping anything- but thanks."
"...I just meant because your shirt isn't as pressed as it normally is..."
"... Oh, right... well you're still a bitch."

-Withers-​

If I hear "You look tired ...", it usually seems out of concern or sympathy, not as a criticism.

 

[auntiehill]

I have a friend who has HORRENDOUS breath. Truly horrific, actually, due to her numerous health problems.

I offer her mints and gum all the time, but she never takes them.

I just try to stand at arm's length from her when she's talking.

So, yeah, if someone offers you a mint before they even take on for themselves, your breath probably stinks.

 

[KimMH]

If they are pulling out a mint for themselves and you are there, then they are probably just being polite.

I agree. My husband's family is obssessed with their breath - to a person they all carry altoids with them wherever they go. When they began offering them to me I felt embarrassed until I realized they are the ones obssessing about their breath. I always accept because it's offered in a spirit of sharing and try to reciprocate whenever possible.

 

[Ethros]

That's another thing I might overly think too much over. When someone offers you a sweet or something, are they being genuinely friendly or are they thinking "hmm well I guess I better be fucking polite and offer them one too" and then when you do take one they think "yeah take all my sweets which I paid for you greedy fat fuck!"


Happens to me sometimes if I'm in a group, I'll happily offer a sweet to some of them, but then others who I might not really like I ordinarily wouldn't. Yet if I'm gonna offer to one to those I do like and those that I don't are right there too, I kinda have to offer one to them as well...... I probably think about these things too much

 

[Holdfast]

I usually offer mints when I am taking one myself. Just trying to be courteous, especially just after lunch.

+1

I have mints in the car and if I've been out to lunch or dinner with someone, I sometimes reach for one myself, out of habit as we're getting back in the car, and so I will offer my companion one as well out of courtesy.

I have a friend who has HORRENDOUS breath.

Some friendships are just too heavy a cross to bear...