I work in a satellite office in the next town over from where the main office is. There is only one other person in this office.

One of us needs to be here at all times between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., excluding the lunch hour. That's the problem.

My coworker goes to play basketball at the Y over lunch. Lunch is supposed to be from noon to 1.

But, since there's no boss here, and I have a habit of not speaking up when something bothers me, I'm getting run over.

He leaves at 11:45 for the start of his noon game. He routinely does not come back till 2 p.m. Right now it's 2:15 and I have yet to see his face from lunch. He didn't have an outside assignment that I'm aware of -- we generally tell each other.

It becomes very difficult to make up lies when, 2 or 3 times a week, the boss calls after lunch and asks to talk to this guy. And I'm getting annoyed because not only do I not like to lie, occasionally *I* need a long lunch, to run into town for blood draws (I have a clotting disorder that requires close monitoring) or something. But I feel compelled to be here when he's not.

Am I being silly? Because frankly, 2.5 hour lunches %#@&#! me off. What's worse is that I fax both our timecards together, and I see that he lists his lunch hour as noon to 1.

I don't feel like I can tell our boss without ruining my working relationship. It's a very tiny space in here and only the two of us and I can't afford to alienate him or make my life difficult. but I can't put up with much more of this, either.

Ideas/suggestions/helpful hints?

Candy