The Potato of Petty Revenge: How One Woman Got Sweet (and Stinky) Payback
Let’s be honest: sometimes, the best revenge isn’t grand or dramatic—it’s quietly diabolical, a little bit silly, and just starchy enough to leave a lingering mark. Such is the tale of u/jearu573, who turned a classic kitchen slight into one of Reddit’s most memorable petty revenges. When her prized roasting pan was destroyed in a feud worthy of a Lifetime movie, she didn’t yell or throw a fit. Instead, she weaponized a humble potato—and left the internet howling.
Grab a snack (maybe skip the potatoes), because this story is equal parts hilarious kitchen drama and a cautionary tale about underestimating the power of a tuber.
Thanksgiving, Turkey, and the Case of the Sealed (and Spoiled) Pan
Our saga begins decades ago, in the home of a boyfriend and his suspiciously territorial mother. For six months, u/jearu573 lived under their roof, trying to make the best of an awkward situation. The first real test of domestic harmony came at Thanksgiving, where she rolled up her sleeves and used her cherished roasting pans—the kind you only break out for pot roasts and holidays—to whip up a feast.
After dinner, she had to work the night shift. The boyfriend’s mom assured her the cleanup was covered. When she returned, everything looked pristine. Food stored, kitchen sparkling, pans back atop the fridge in sealed bags where she always kept them. Domestic bliss… or so she thought.
Fast forward to Christmas. She unwraps her roasting pans and is greeted not by shiny cookware, but by a “moldy, congealed mess of nasty turkey leftovers”—her words, not mine. The pan was destroyed, its insides flaking, pitted, and beyond saving. All because someone sealed up the leftovers and never bothered to wash the pan.
As u/BayAreaPupMom put it in the top comment, “Did you ever find out what in God's name possessed the woman to seal up an unwashed pan and put it away? That's either another level of evil or insanity!” OP responded with the brutal truth: “I know she didn't like me. I corrupted her baby boy, but this did seem over the top.”
When Life Hands You Petty, Duct Tape a Potato
Most of us would stew in our rage or maybe write a passive-aggressive note. Not OP. She decided to get even in her own unforgettably creative way: by duct taping a potato to the back of the least-used kitchen drawer—an act that Redditors immediately crowned “evil genius.”
Why a potato? As anyone who has ever lost a spud in the back of a cupboard knows, a rotting potato produces a stench that can only be described as “decaying body meets gym sock in a sauna.” As u/Worried_Suit4820 warned, “If you have never smelled a rotten potato it would be easy to underestimate the affect it has. Well played OP!” Others chimed in with horror stories of forgotten potatoes liquefying into unspeakable goo and lingering odors that haunt kitchens for years.
OP herself explained her motivation: “Growing up, we cleaned house every day… A potato got missed in the back of the cupboard once, and I never forgot the smell of it. We had to replace the shelf liner and scrub the bejeezus out of the shelf itself.” This wasn’t just petty—it was calculated bio-warfare.
The Community Reacts: Petty Legends and Stinky Suggestions
The response from r/PettyRevenge was unanimous: this was a masterstroke in low-key vengeance. Commenters swapped their own tales of culinary sabotage, with u/Interesting_Bake3824 suggesting, “I might have sellotaped a mackerel fillet to the underside of the u-bend too,” and others proposing everything from shrimp shells in the curtain rods to canned tuna in the AC vent (seriously, Reddit knows how to hold a grudge).
But it was the potato that captured everyone’s imagination. As u/Neverswept elegantly put it, “Most people greatly underestimate the bio-weapons potential of the potato; not you! Genius.” Others noted that the stealthy nature of the act made it all the sweeter—no shouting matches, no confrontation, just a ticking time-bomb of stink, waiting to be discovered.
Interestingly, OP never actually heard about the fallout. She and her boyfriend stayed together for another year, but neither he nor his mother ever mentioned the mysterious smell. As u/mannyzilla mused, “Imagine them finding it months later when the smell hits. Perfectly petty payback for ruining your pans!”
Lessons in Petty (and Potatoes)
What can we learn from this saga of ruined pans and root-vegetable revenge? For one, never underestimate the power of a small, targeted act of pettiness—especially when it involves something as unassuming as a potato. As many commenters noted, the delayed, escalating horror of discovering a rotten tuber is a punishment that keeps on giving.
But more than that, this story is a reminder that sometimes, the best way to settle a score is with a little humor and a lot of creativity. After all, as u/Relative_Laugh_7236 pointed out, “I would have done fish. Never get that smell out.” But OP, pressed for time, went with what she knew would work—and likely left her mark (and scent) on that kitchen for months to come.
So next time someone ruins your favorite kitchenware, remember: vengeance doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes, it can be silent, starchy, and stink up a drawer.
Have your own tale of petty revenge? Ever lost a potato in your kitchen and lived to regret it? Share your stories in the comments—just don’t give anyone any ideas.
Original Reddit Post: Got even in my own way.