Slow and Steady Wins the Spite: How One Coworker Drove His Boss Bonkers With Petty Revenge
There’s a certain poetic justice in the world of office politics—a silent ballet of side-eye, withheld K-cups, and, if you’re lucky, the perfect act of petty revenge. On Reddit’s r/PettyRevenge, one user recently shared an inspired tale of workplace comeuppance, where the hero didn’t need a grand gesture to topple a tyrant—just a slow stroll and impeccable timing.
Let’s set the scene: a boss with the patience of a caffeinated toddler, a beleaguered team, and one coworker, Thom, who decided to fight back not with words, but with waddle. Buckle up, because this is the story of the slow walk that broke the boss’s spirit (and maybe raised his blood pressure, just a little).
The Anatomy of a Petty Tyrant
Every office has “that boss”—the one who makes you question your life choices with every passive-aggressive email and all-caps directive. According to Redditor u/1quirky1, their boss was the gold standard of petty tyranny. He’d routinely dump his problems onto his staff, then berate them for the mess. But above all, this boss possessed a singular flaw: zero patience. Whether it was a report, a meeting, or—most relevantly—a freshly printed document, he wanted it now, now, NOW.
Enter Thom: The Hero We Didn’t Know We Needed
Thom, our protagonist, spent more time in the office trenches than his coworkers. Maybe that’s why he developed a sixth sense for his boss’s print-related sprints. The office layout was crucial: boss’s office in front, printers in the back, and Thom and company in between—the perfect gauntlet.
Whenever the boss hit “print” and leapt from his chair with Olympic fervor, Thom would rise, coffee cup in hand, and meander toward the printer, positioning himself directly in the boss’s path. Sometimes he’d shuffle slowly, sometimes he’d carefully balance an overfilled coffee cup, and sometimes he’d just pick the exact wrong direction to dodge, resulting in that awkward office dance where two people hop left, then right, then left again, before nearly colliding.
Why Does Petty Revenge Feel So Good?
There’s a reason stories like this rack up thousands of upvotes and dozens of “bravo!” comments. Petty revenge is the working person’s daydream—a way to reclaim a shred of dignity in places where power is uneven, and direct confrontation isn’t an option. Thom’s genius wasn’t just in the act itself, but in the plausible deniability. To the untrained eye, he was just another slow walker, a victim of too much coffee or too little sleep.
But the boss? He had no idea this daily dance was intentional. All he knew was that every trip to the printer was now a test of patience he was destined to fail. And for Thom, that knowledge was enough to make the workday just a bit more bearable.
The Secret Power of Subtle Disruption
This story isn’t just about one office—it’s about every office. We’ve all had moments where we wished we could push back against unfair treatment, but the risks felt too high. Thom’s revenge was so effective because it was undetectable. The boss couldn’t punish him for walking slowly, and he certainly couldn’t accuse him of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to irritate him (even if that’s exactly what was happening).
Plus, there’s something universally satisfying about using a petty tyrant’s own flaws against them. The boss’s impatience became his undoing, and Thom’s slow shuffle became a secret rebellion.
How to Channel Your Inner Thom (Without Getting Fired)
Now, I’m not advocating for workplace sabotage (wink), but there’s a lesson here for anyone struggling under the thumb of a petty boss. Sometimes, it’s the small acts—the ones that let you reclaim a sense of control and humor—that get you through the day. Whether it’s an artful slow walk, a perfectly timed bathroom break, or a strategic “accidental” reply-all, a little mischief can go a long way.
In the End, It’s the Little Victories
So, here’s to Thom—the unsung hero of office warfare. His revenge may have been petty, but in a world ruled by petty tyrants, sometimes petty is exactly what you need.
Have you ever pulled off a tiny act of rebellion at work? Share your stories in the comments! After all, the best antidote to a bad boss is a good laugh—and maybe a leisurely stroll to the printer.
Sources:
Original Reddit post: My coworker had the pettiest of revenges with our tantrum-throwing boss by u/1quirky1
Original Reddit Post: My coworker had the pettiest of revenges with our tantrum-throwing boss