The Empty Kettle Syndrome (otherwise known as EKS)

I hate it when the person who uses the last of the hot water in the kettle does not fill it up again, in the kitchen at work. Normally I use the under sink hot water service for making my coffee, but this has been broken for about a month now, with no sign of repair in sight, which is about normal for what I would call probably the most poorly ran inefficient excuse for a company this side of a government department. Luckily the company has a seemingly inexhaustible supply of band-aids with which to ‘permanently’ fix the situation, if I am correct in assuming that it will instigate the standard company procedures for resolving the problem, so I envisage a resolution will be forthcoming soon. However, in the mean time I am forced to use the kettle to make my instant coffee. Now whether the hot water service is used or the kettle, I find there is usually little difference in the mediocre quality of my beverage, the problem lies in the introduction of ‘people’ to the equation. Obviously a full kettle can only make a finite number of hot drinks, so like it or not, at least one of my colleagues will find themselves in the position of having finished the last of the water in the said kettle. So what would be the right thing to do here? As I see it there are two options:

Option 1: Fill the kettle with water, and if you feel particularly charitable switch it on to boil for the next thirsty worker, considering there is usually steady flow of employees requiring boiling water.

Or

Option 2: After smugly filling you mug with the remnants of the hot water, pretend you haven’t noticed that the kettle is now completely empty and, whilst stirring your coffee or tea with the supplied tongue depressor/lollypop stick masquerading as a stirrer, leave the kitchen and go back to your desk knowing full well that the kettle will probably be full and have just boiled when you return next time.

Would you agree that your answer to the above dilemma could be seen a direct measure of your morality?

Considering I have come across an empty kettle on so many occasions in the month since the break down of the hot water system, I cannot help but draw a rather depressing conclusion regarding the morality of my co-workers. It can be argued that an office is a microcosm of broader society. So would it be that unrealistic to extrapolate these observations to the broader population?

Then again I guess I am not really breaking any new ground by expounding the theory of a me, me, me, ethos in the greater part of the population today.

So my point is, please fill up the kettle if you find it empty when you are finished with it.