Dodgeball, Glasses, and the Sweet Sting of Petty Revenge: A Childhood Gym Story
There’s a moment in every kid’s life when enough is simply enough. Maybe it’s the last time someone flicks your ear on the bus, or the final straw after a relentless chain of “ha ha”s when you fumble the ball. For Redditor u/Embarrassed_Bid_331, this moment came during a long-ago summer program, under the fluorescent lights of a school gym, dodgeball in hand and vengeance in their heart.
We all know that kid. The one who seems to have a sixth sense for your mistakes, ready with a triumphant snicker when you trip, miss, or drop the ball—literally. But what happens when quiet frustration boils over into a split-second act of petty (yet oddly satisfying) revenge? Buckle up, because this story is about to hit you—right in the face.
Dodgeball: The Playground’s Courtroom
Childhood justice has always been meted out in the wildest of courts: the playground, the lunch table, and, perhaps most notably, the gym. In the hallowed halls of elementary schools everywhere, dignity and dodgeballs fly with equal abandon. For young Embarrassed_Bid_331, summer meant endless hours trying to master a slew of sports—and enduring the relentless jeers of That Girl. You know the type: self-appointed commentator, quick with the snark, always there to pour salt in the wound of a missed goal.
When we’re eight or nine, each failure feels like a global broadcast, and sympathy is in short supply. But there’s something uniquely grating about that one person who doesn’t just notice your mistakes—they celebrate them. It’s enough to make even the most mild-mannered kid see red.
The Art of the Petty Plot
Here’s where the story takes a deliciously relatable turn. After what we can only assume was a summer-long barrage of ridicule, our young protagonist hatched a plan worthy of a Disney villain. It didn’t involve elaborate schemes or whispered alliances—just a dodgeball, a little aim, and a lot of pent-up frustration.
And when the moment came, they didn’t hesitate. The dodgeball arced through the air, powered by weeks of silent resentment, and landed—smack!—right in the face of their tormentor. Glasses broke, pride was wounded, and for a brief, shining moment, the universe felt perfectly balanced.
The Fallout: Silent Satisfaction (and a Dash of Guilt)
Every act of petty revenge comes with consequences, and our author’s heart-pounding account of dodging (pun intended) responsibility is comedy gold. No one saw a thing, and when the instructors gathered everyone for a round of apologetic high-fives, our hero stayed silent—nervous, yet utterly unrepentant.
It’s a scene straight out of a coming-of-age sitcom: a sea of kids sheepishly apologizing while the real perpetrator stands in the crowd, heart pounding, wrestling with a cocktail of nerves and smug satisfaction. It turns out, sometimes the best revenge is the one you get away with.
Why We Love (and Need) Petty Revenge Stories
There’s a reason stories like this rack up dozens of comments and hundreds of upvotes on Reddit. They tap into a primal part of us—the little kid who never quite got over being laughed at for missing the goal, the one who fantasized about poetic justice but rarely acted on it.
Petty revenge isn’t about causing harm; it’s about restoring a tiny bit of balance in a world that, especially as kids, can seem unfair and arbitrary. It’s about standing up, in your own awkward way, and saying, “Enough.” And let’s be honest—sometimes it’s just plain funny.
The Takeaway: Growing Up (But Never Forgetting)
Looking back, even the author admits that vengefulness isn’t really their style. But every now and then, we all have a moment when something inside us snaps—not out of malice, but out of sheer self-preservation. Maybe we don’t throw dodgeballs anymore, but the impulse to serve up a little karmic justice never quite goes away.
So here’s to the moments that make us laugh, cringe, and remember what it felt like to be small but mighty. And if you’ve ever plotted (or received) a dose of petty playground payback, share your story in the comments—because some memories, like broken glasses and bruised egos, are just too good to keep to ourselves.
What’s your most memorable moment of childhood pettiness? Did you ever get sweet (if slightly naughty) revenge? Let’s swap stories below!
Original Reddit Post: Right In The Face