How a Suspended Car (and a Crane) Taught a Bomb Squad Boss a Lesson in Petty Revenge
Every workplace has that one person: the self-appointed sheriff of rules, a stickler for hierarchy, and—let’s be real—a bit of a pain in the rear. But what happens when that someone works for a bomb squad and pushes their power a little too far? Well, if you ask the folks over at r/PettyRevenge, sometimes karma comes in the form of a dangling car, a long lunch break, and a lesson in humility that’s as unforgettable as it is hilarious.
Let’s set the stage: a high-security government facility, a heavy-duty crane, and a bomb squad with a supervisor whose fuse was shorter than a detonator’s wire.
The Bomb Squad, the Crane, and the Pettiest Revenge You've Ever Heard
Our tale comes from u/IQlowerthanGump, a crane operator with a knack for storytelling (and, as the comments will reveal, a surprising talent for puns). The job was straightforward: use a crane to help upgrade a bomb squad’s building. Permits secured, schedule locked, and a team ready to roll. What could go wrong?
Enter the bomb squad supervisor, hereafter known as “the Asshole.” Within minutes of setup, he storms out and pulls the brakes on the entire operation. His complaint? The crane was blocking the driveway (even though, as our hero points out, the other side was “100% open”). Instead of a simple fix, this escalated into a bureaucratic nightmare—bosses, contractors, and a sea of suits descended to untangle the mess. As one top commenter, u/Granonis, quipped: “Geez! How much of a dick do you have to be for higher-ups to authorize holding a guy’s car hostage for a whole day!?”
The Plot Thickens—and So Does the Petty
After a lengthy lunch (courtesy of the chaos), the crane crew returned, only to be met by the head honcho of the bomb squad. In a twist worthy of a sitcom, the boss asked a simple question: “Can your crane pick up that car over there?” The car, of course, belonged to the very supervisor who had made life so miserable. The plan: lift the car five feet in the air and take another long lunch, leaving it hanging until the supervisor apologized.
If you’re picturing red tape thicker than Antarctic ice, you’re spot on. As the OP later clarified, “You need permits, spotter, safety officer, traffic peeps, and so much more to even lift a piece of paper with a crane at that facility. He really, really pissed off the higher ups. Nothing was normal that day.” In other words, this was no spur-of-the-moment prank. It was an operation with so much buy-in from management that, as u/Strict_Discussion491 pointed out, “That doesn’t happen unless everyone already hates the guy. That kind of approval screams ‘this was not his first incident.’”
The Aftermath: Lessons in Humility, and Puns Galore
The car hung in the air, the crew enjoyed another extended lunch, and the supervisor was forced to negotiate his car’s return with his own boss. After finally apologizing, he got his ride back—an hour after quitting time. The transformation was instant: “He was the nicest person I have ever met from that day until we moved on,” reported the OP.
Reddit, of course, couldn’t resist the low-hanging (or should we say, high-hanging?) fruit. “Bomb squad suits shouldn't have such short fuses,” joked u/SentimentalScientist, setting off a chain reaction of punsters: “Explosive tempers make themselves at home on the bomb squad,” “Got a rise out of me,” and “It sure raised my spirits.” Even the OP got in on the action: “I was hoping my story would be up lifting.”
But it wasn’t all jokes—some commenters raised practical, safety-related questions. u/LifeOfTheParty2 warned, “This is a major OSHA violation… you’re looking at huge fines if you’re caught.” The OP was quick to clarify: “This was 30+ years ago on gov property, no OSHA. They have their own safety teams… Nothing was normal at that building.” One user even noted that if this had happened at Los Alamos, the OP “would still be in jail most likely.” Times, it seems, have changed.
What Reddit Loved (and Why This Story Resonates)
It’s not just the delicious pettiness that made this story a hit; it’s the sense of justice only possible when a whole workplace bands together to teach a lesson to a serial jerk. As u/Greedy-Ad-3815 observed, “When that many people are on board with it, you know the guy was a professional-grade menace. That doesn’t happen over one bad morning.” The story also struck a chord with anyone who’s ever worked with an impossible coworker—and dreamed of a little poetic (or, in this case, craned) justice.
The community’s verdict? Uplifting, both literally and figuratively.
Conclusion: If Only All Workplace Drama Ended With Such a Lift
Stories like this remind us that sometimes the only way to deal with a big ego is with a bigger, well-orchestrated prank (and the backing of every boss in the building). To quote one of the top comments: “Sounds like everyone got the lift they needed.”
Have you ever witnessed (or orchestrated) a workplace act of petty revenge? Did it end with apologies, or just a good story to tell over lunch? Share your stories in the comments below—and don’t forget to keep your fuse longer than your patience!
Because, as Reddit has proven: a little pettiness, when applied at just the right moment, can be downright explosive.
Original Reddit Post: Revenge on a bomb squad