'Petty Revenge Served Cold: How One Tech Turned a ‘Secret’ Folder into a Digital Gotcha'
Let’s face it: every office has at least one. The coworker who can turn a simple “Good morning” into an HR incident. The one who treats common sense like it’s optional software. But what happens when that person is a junior tech who thinks he’s outwitted the system—with a “secret” folder hidden in the depths of your share drive?
Reddit user u/Accomplished_Crow323 recently served up a delicious slice of petty revenge that’s as relatable as it is satisfying. If you’ve ever fantasized about giving a workplace troublemaker a taste of their own medicine, buckle up—because this story hits all the right notes.
Unmasking the Secret Folder
Picture this: It’s been 16 months since you trained a new junior tech, who—once the probation period ended—dropped the “eager to learn” act and went full-on difficult. Suddenly, you’re public enemy number one. He’s accusing you of unprofessionalism, but his complaints are pure fiction. Annoying? Absolutely. Grounds for panic? Not even close.
Now, this junior tech fancies himself a master of subterfuge. He creates a “secret” folder on the company share drive—a not-so-private labyrinth where he’s stashing cherry-picked emails. The goal? To build a digital dossier “proving” how unprofessional you are. (Spoiler: He only saves the bits that make you look bad, omitting his own provocations and meltdown moments.)
What he forgets is that the share drive isn’t his personal lair. It’s, well, shared. And as part of your job, you’re supposed to review his work—including the folders he thinks are hidden. Oops.
Turning the Tables—PDF Style
Here’s where the story goes from mildly amusing to popcorn-worthy. Instead of confronting the junior tech or running to HR, our OP decides to play his own game. With the precision of a seasoned IT pro, he starts collecting emails where the junior tech himself acted out—rants, snarky remarks, outright harassment. He saves them as PDFs and quietly uploads them into the same “secret” folder.
But wait, there’s more! For every email chain that the junior tech had carefully edited to make OP look bad, OP drops in the full, unabridged thread—complete with context and all those rage-baiting gems the junior tried to hide. Suddenly, anyone snooping through this “evidence” gets the whole story, not just the junior’s handpicked narrative.
The Sweetness of Petty Revenge
What makes this so deliciously satisfying? For starters, it’s a masterclass in non-confrontational justice. No yelling, no drama, no awkward HR meetings. Just quietly letting the junior tech hoist himself by his own petard. If the folder was ever meant to be “evidence,” it just became Exposé of the Year… for the wrong person.
There’s also an important lesson here about transparency and digital hygiene. Office share drives aren’t the place for cloak-and-dagger maneuvers. If you’re going to hide something, maybe don’t put it somewhere your boss can access as part of their daily routine. And if your master plan for workplace domination involves selective editing, you’d better hope no one has the receipts. (Spoiler: Someone always has the receipts.)
Why This Story Resonates
The real genius of this petty revenge is its restraint. OP didn’t break any rules, didn’t stoop to the junior tech’s level, and didn’t even need to say a word. The evidence now speaks for itself—loudly. It’s a classic tale of letting the truth (and a few well-placed PDFs) do the talking.
For anyone who’s ever dealt with a difficult coworker, this is the catharsis you didn’t know you needed. It’s a reminder that patience, professionalism, and just a dash of pettiness can go a long way. Sometimes, the best way to deal with workplace nonsense is to let your nemesis dig their own grave—then hand them a shovel with a smile.
Your Turn: Have You Ever Served Up Petty Revenge?
What’s your favorite story of workplace revenge, big or small? Have you ever been tempted to “correct the record” in your own way? Drop your tales of office justice in the comments—or just let us know what you thought of this legendary digital takedown. After all, sometimes the best revenge is simply letting the truth outshine the drama.
Who knew file management could be this entertaining? Stay tuned for more stories where professionalism meets just the right amount of pettiness.
Original Reddit Post: Adding emails to the 'secret' share folder