The Hilariously Petty Tale of the Painted Toilet Paper: When Revenge Goes Down the Drain
There are few things more sacred than a clean, functional bathroom—especially when it’s mere feet from your workbench and you’re surrounded by coworkers who treat it like a public gas station. For one electronics repair tech on Reddit, this wasn’t just a daily inconvenience. It was a full-blown olfactory assault, the kind that leaves you plotting revenge worthy of a sitcom. And plot he did—armed with nothing but a can of white latex paint, a roll of toilet paper, and a glorious sense of pettiness.
What unfolded has left the internet in stitches, sparked Dr. Seuss-level rhyming wars, and proved that sometimes, all you need to win is a rock-hard roll and a stubborn streak. Buckle up for one of the most entertaining tales of workplace “pottyrevenge” you’ll ever read.
Let’s set the scene: Our protagonist, u/Alaskan_Apostrophe, worked in a cramped electronics repair shop, dreaming of more space and maybe, just maybe, a bathroom he didn’t dread. When the company upgraded to a new building—with a two-person office, a four-bay garage, and a private bathroom—it should’ve been the start of something beautiful. Except there was a hitch: the mechanics next door treated that bathroom like a personal demolition derby for bodily functions and grease stains.
Not only was the bathroom door just a few feet from the tech’s bench (no vent, mind you), but he was also expected to clean up after the mechanics’ daily disasters. As he put it, “the guys would literally shit themselves, then laugh about me having to work next to their stink.” It wasn’t just a lack of respect—it was a lack of mercy.
Every possible avenue for relief was pursued: complaints to the boss, the mechanic supervisor, even heartfelt appeals to the mechanics themselves. Nothing worked. The mechanics continued their reign of restroom terror, gleefully unbothered.
Enter: Petty Revenge. Or, as one clever commenter put it, “pottyrevenge.”
The setup was simple but effective: After spotting a can of white latex paint in the garage, our hero had a eureka moment. He dipped an entire roll of toilet paper in paint, let it dry until it was rock solid, then swapped it into the bathroom, removing the real TP. The trap was set.
The first victim’s reaction was instant: “What the fuck!!!” Echoing through the office, the shout was followed by the question, “Did you do this?” Cue giggles from our hero—payback had never smelled so sweet (or, at least, less like engine grease).
The exchange that followed became an instant classic in the petty revenge hall of fame. As the trapped mechanic pleaded for toilet paper, our tech rationed it out, one square at a time, with lines like, “Use both sides,” and, “If you say please, I might give you another one.” The negotiation didn’t end until a grudging promise was extracted: never again would that bathroom be abused, and it would finally be cleaned.
By the time the third victim had fallen for the painted roll, the legend had spread. The bathroom was suddenly treated with the reverence it deserved—no more greasy disasters, no more unwanted “gifts.” Problem solved.
Reddit, naturally, had a field day. The top comment from u/CoderJoe1 riffed, “You couldn’t spare a square,” referencing the iconic Seinfeld episode and setting off a glorious rhyme chain. u/batdan66 continued, “He wouldn’t dare spare a square, for he did not care,” to which u/CoderJoe1 replied, “I’m aware that’s fair.” The Dr. Seuss energy was so strong that u/Intelligent-Flow-179 quipped, “My senses tell me Dr. Seuss is near.”
But the fun didn’t stop at wordplay. Many commenters noted the poetic justice of the plan. As u/idesofmarch_44 put it, “Oh, it’s not your problem, I’ll make it your problem. Nice revenge.” Others joked about alternative tactics: “Alternately, you could simply remove the toilet paper. If you’re feeling nice, even put up a sign,” suggested u/WordWizardNC. But as u/tree_beard_8675301 pointed out, “They might notice a missing roll before they’re past the point of no return.” Clearly, the painted roll had a unique genius to it: it allowed the offenders to walk right into their own trap.
Not all the comments were just laughs—some brought a nostalgic twist. u/DennisGK shared, “My dad, who died in ‘74 when I was 12, once told me that toilet paper was getting really expensive so we had to conserve it by using both sides.” Others riffed on the changing times, imagining washing and reusing TP, which led to its own little sub-thread of comic horror.
Of course, there were those who took the “pottyrevenge” theme and ran with it. “Great one. Should have sold the paper piece by piece,” joked u/Rukubi2. And u/Floresian-Rimor summed it up beautifully: “pettyrevenge? More like pottyrevenge.” Even the original poster couldn’t help but jump in, echoing, “This!!!”
Perhaps the best part of this saga is its universality. Who among us hasn’t wished for a little poetic justice in the shared spaces of work, whether it’s the breakroom fridge or, as in this case, the bathroom? As u/NotAMeatPopsicle put it, “My grandpa would have done something like this. Former heavy duty mechanic that learned to handle all types.” It’s a story as old as workplaces themselves: sometimes, you have to flush out bad behavior with a little creativity.
So, what’s the lesson here? Sometimes, you don’t need a confrontation—just a can of paint, a sense of humor, and the willingness to be just petty enough. The next time someone makes your workspace a living hell, remember: revenge is a dish best served cold, hard, and preferably toilet-paper-shaped.
What’s your best story of office pettiness? Would you dare to go as far as a painted TP roll? Share your tales below—and remember, always check the roll before you commit.
Original Reddit Post: The Bathroom