Bucket List: The Petty Revenge That Left a Narcissistic Boss All Washed Up
Workplace horror stories are practically a rite of passage, but every now and then, a tale comes along that’s so jaw-dropping, so weirdly satisfying, you can’t help but cheer for the underdog. Enter the saga of u/Long-Operation3660, a coach and teacher who took on a narcissistic boss—and, in a moment of inspired pettiness, left a note that would haunt him every time nature called.
It’s a story of broken promises, gaslighting, and, yes, bodily fluids. But more than that, it’s a lesson in standing up (or squatting down?) for yourself—even when the system is stacked against you.
From Mentor to Monster: The Anatomy of a Terrible Boss
If you’ve ever been lured back to work for an old mentor, you know it’s a gamble. For our protagonist, returning to her alma mater meant coaching under her former mentor, who morphed from inspirational leader to textbook narcissist. As she recounted, “By the end of my second year, I was basically doing his job (coaching the team 95% and teaching half of his classes) while he was sitting at home and making 6 figures.”
Promises were made, and—unsurprisingly—never kept. When it came time to collect a promised cash stipend, the boss played dumb in a meeting that was less “let’s talk” and more “ambush with my best friend to gaslight you.” The result? Our hero quit, feeling “ashamed, scared, and in tears.”
But as many commenters pointed out, that’s where the real story begins. As u/LowKeyChcknBoy put it: “Sometimes it’s the small, subtle things that bother someone the most. Nice work 👍.” The subtlety, as we’ll see, is key.
Petty Revenge, Pee Buckets, and the Power of Shame
After blowing the whistle (and enduring an investigation that confirmed wrongdoing but ended in an HR dead end), our tenacious coach found herself still sharing space with her former boss. That’s when she stumbled upon the now-infamous “pee bucket”—a plastic Easter candy bucket high up on a shelf, crusted with urine crystals. Classy.
The kicker? This wasn’t a one-off. “He had peed in bottles before, and because he spit dip into cups and bottles constantly that he just left laying around. Not a new behavior,” OP explained. The disrespect! The boldness! As she put it, “The locker room was 50 feet away!”
So, what do you do when HR can’t—or won’t—hold someone accountable? You get creative. With her boss out of town, OP left a simple, devastatingly direct note: “We all know this is your pee bucket. Are you really THIS lazy?!”
The aftermath? The bucket vanished. And the boss? He knew he’d been seen. “At the end of the day… I let him know that I saw him. And that someone was on to just how utterly disgusting and entitled he was. That felt like a win,” she reflected.
As u/Available_Agent3305 nailed it, “It wasn’t loud revenge, just enough to let him know he wasn’t invisible. That part felt very satisfying.”
Internet Court: Petty Revenge or Not Enough?
The r/PettyRevenge community, never shy about weighing in, was split on whether this was “revenge” or just a tiny taste of justice. Some, like u/Wide_Comment3081, argued, “You got bullied and harassed and you 'got revenge' by... Leaving a note. That only he would see. Literally no consequence to him.” Others countered that shame can be its own punishment—although, as u/HealthNo4265 cynically noted, “Someone that pees in a bucket probably doesn’t feel much shame and embarrassment.”
OP herself chimed in with a dose of realism: “HR exists to protect the company, not the employee. I did all I could.” She also revealed that, after consulting lawyers, pursuing a formal claim was more red tape than payout: “Because the claim was so ‘small’ it’d be better to go through the department of labor. Waiting to hear back about my 21k claim.”
And let’s not forget the practical jokers. As u/bungmonger quipped, “You should have filled the P bucket with urine so the next time he took it down it would spill all over him.” To which OP replied, “LOL if only I had a Time Machine.”
Lessons from the Locker Room: Why Petty Wins Matter
Was this a victory? Maybe not in the grand, Hollywood justice sense. But in the world of workplace power plays, sometimes the smallest actions send the biggest messages. As u/Negative_Meaning_77 critically asked, “Is that enough revenge?” And as u/Baguetele poetically replied: “Needs more cowbell, tbh. Good for you to exact this miniscule version of what you see as revenge. Hopefully it makes you feel better. I do wish that guy gets his, and as I know life and karma this far? He most deliciously will.”
This story is a reminder that not all victories are loud and not all justice comes from the top down. Sometimes, all it takes is a note in a pee bucket to let a bully know their days of acting with impunity are numbered—even if it’s only in the realm of shame.
What’s your take: genius move, or not nearly enough? Have you ever delivered a slice of petty revenge that only the right person would understand? Drop your stories (and your own workplace war cries) in the comments below!
Original Reddit Post: Treat me terribly at work? I’ll leave a note in your pee bucket