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Grumpy Maintenance Manager Forbids Delivery Guy From Propping The Door Open, So He Forces Him To Open It 20+ Times Instead

by Annie Nguyen
November 27, 2025
in Social Issues

The workplace dynamic can often resemble a comedy of errors, especially when it involves authority figures clashing over the simplest of tasks.

In this case, the original poster (OP) was simply trying to do their job while moving a hefty load of bookshelves. However, an unexpected encounter with a grumpy maintenance manager turned a routine delivery into a battle of wills.

What started as a straightforward job quickly escalated into a hilarious standoff, with OP employing a bit of clever compliance to teach the manager a lesson. Curious about how this playful confrontation evolved? Keep scrolling to uncover the amusing details behind this door debacle!

A mover ran into a furious building manager after simply trying to keep a door open

Grumpy Maintenance Manager Forbids Delivery Guy From Propping The Door Open, So He Forces Him To Open It 20+ Times Instead
Not the actual photo

I can’t prop the door open? Alrighty then?

TLDR at bottom. Been sitting on this story for a few months now.

I work for a small moving company in my city.

We move furniture and decor to many different places throughout the city.

We got a call about moving a large load of bookshelves to a rather large industrial building.

We loaded up two 18 foot box trucks full of shelves and were ready to move.

When we arrived at the building, we pulled around

to the loading dock and began off loading the shelves.

As we were bringing stuff off the truck, I went to building security to open the door.

(There had been a recent string of shootings in our area

and everyone was locking all the doors.)

They handed me a door stop and told me

I could prop the door open since we have a large load.

So I propped open the door and we got going.

We no more had the first pallet off the truck

when the building’s maintenance manager came running towards us.

He screamed at us “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

YOU CANNOT HAVE THAT DOOR PROPPED OPEN!!!”

Now this man looked like he was somewhere between the ages of 76 and 105.

He was as red as I’ve ever seen anyone.

I calmy told him that security gave me a doorstop

and told me since we have such a large load, we could keep the door propped open.

Of course, he wasn’t having it.

“I DON’T CARE WHAT SECURITY TOLD YOU,

YOU CANNOT HAVE THIS DOOR PROPPED OPEN!!”

At this point, my Native American temper got the better of me.

I replied “Yes sir!” I walked over to the door and picked up the doorstop.

I walked back to security and explained the situation.

They rolled their eyes and explained that

this crotchety old fossil is always causing problems all over the building.

They told me I could still prop open the door

but now I was mad and was feeling petty.

He doesn’t want us to prop the door open? Alrighty then.

There was a buzzer outside of the door

so I buzzed security asking them if they could open the door.

Well guess who’s office was right by said door

and thus guess who security called to open the door and let us in?

That’s right, fossil man that was two days older than dirt.

He opened the door and let us in.

We made our delivery and came back to grab another pallet.

I again buzzed security and they again asked fossil man to let us in.

This happened twice more before he stopped me and said

“You know if you wanted to keep that door open, you can since you have such a big load.”

I replied with the biggest smile on my face “Oh no sir, this door cannot be propped open.

I wouldn’t want to upset anyone by doing that.”

He looked at me with a look on his face

that was somewhere between murderous

and the realization that he had made a huge mistake.

18 pallets later, we had the load delivered.

And every single time, guess who had to let us in?

It took us a little over 2 hours to get everything finished.

The last pallet we delivered, I poked my head into fossil man’s office and said

“Thank you so much for your help.” I’m pretty sure he popped a blood vessel.

TLDR: Crochety old fart tells me I can’t prop open a door,

alright then you’ll open it for me more than 20 times.

In our everyday lives, we often encounter situations that provoke strong emotions. Whether it’s a sense of betrayal, anger, or a longing for justice, these feelings can lead us to make decisions that we may later evaluate differently.

The story of the OP (Original Poster) who faced “Fossil Man”, the maintenance manager, highlights this emotional landscape beautifully. In this scenario, the OP sought to deliver a large load of bookshelves while feeling undermined by an authority figure who enforced rules without compassion.

The immediate reaction of the OP was one of anger and frustration. Their need for revenge, manifested in the form of “malicious compliance,” stemmed from a feeling of being wronged.

As the OP relayed the conflict, it became evident that they were not just acting out against Fossil Man but were also trying to reclaim a sense of personal power that was stripped away by the manager’s harsh demeanor.

In this narrative, the OP’s emotional triggers were tightly linked to the feeling of being dismissed and disrespected. Responding to authority with compliance while turning the tables on that authority can create a sense of satisfaction.

In this case, the OP’s decision to have Fossil Man repeatedly let them in through the locked door served as a clever and humorous retribution.

The community’s reaction on Reddit indicates that many found joy in witnessing this “just desserts” moment, resonating with the OP’s playful rebellion against the rules that had initially made them feel powerless.

As the authors at Regeneration HQ note, “malicious compliance is often a reaction to perceived unfairness, lack of recognition, or poor communication from management.” Such behavior underscores a person’s attempt to reclaim agency, using compliance as a form of protest or control when they feel mistreated or ignored.

Hence, while the OP’s actions may seem petty, they reflect a deeper psychological need for fairness in an environment where they felt marginalized.

Reflecting on this story, we are invited to consider our own emotional responses to authority and the desire for justice. Is there a place for humor and levity in our interactions, even amidst frustration? How can we channel our feelings of injustice into more constructive outcomes?

In navigating these complex emotions, we may discover that understanding the motivations behind our actions can lead to greater empathy for others, including those we may initially perceive as adversaries.

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

These users applauded the mover’s decision to turn the old man’s rules against him, enjoying the irony of the situation

ace_of_nations − Props to security for making sure the consequences landed

on the i__ot who created the problem.

CoderJoe1 − Fossil man promoted himself to doorman.

CZ1988_ − I like the name Fossil Man.

Thank you for the LOL.

I especially like it when these jerks change their minds

after realizing the unintended consequences

but OP says "Oh, but sir/madam we need to stick to the rules"

poormansnormal − Two days older than dirt has me cackling.

This group found humor in the mover’s polite sarcasm, appreciating the creativity in his responses to the grumpy manager

trro16p − ...and I am pretty sure security was laughing his/her b__t off!

imhereforthevotes − “Thank you so much for your help.” Now THIS just takes the cake.

I love sending that s__t back to them.

dogecoin_pleasures − Funny story, I recently went to visit family

who had moved into a uber fancy new apartment block.

Maintenance hadn't got around to fixing the broken door handle to the entrance,

so the whole building had adopted a system of using a stick to prop the door open,

complete with a sign reading "do not remove stick".

I imagine your dude would have an aneurysm seeing that!

[Reddit User] − this is perfect Malicious Compliance, 10/10.

Commenters who had their own experience with similar situations chimed in, reminiscing about their own moving stories

GnPQGuTFagzncZwB − This is why I never charge by the job but by the hour.

I can go through almost any kind of stupidity you can think of as long as I am getting paid for it.

I have been where you are and even weirder.

At least twice I moved people who thought their psychotic exes were following them

so they literally paid me to drive around town

for a while and make sure no one was behind me,

before heading out to their new place.

ToolemeraPress − Some crotchety old farts give us crotchety old farts a bad name.

HMS_Slartibartfast − Please tell me you got fossil's extension.

Can't wait until you have EVERYONE in your company call him

to personally thank him for his excellent support of you!

MadPinoRage − Use to be a mover.

Really hated it when people told me we couldn't use elevators

or keep doors open to facilitate easier and faster moving.

These Reddit users expressed concern over the security’s lax attitude, suggesting they could have handled things differently

BrobdingnagLilliput − TLDR at bottom.

Thank you for not putting spoilers at the top of your story!

[Reddit User] − I'm concerned that security seemed

to take a rather lackadaisical attitude toward this if the standard

(reasonable or not) for other local operations in the area was to keep doors locked.

They could have offered to have a security guard stand by while the truck was being unloaded.

I think I'd put my trust more in the person

who wanted to keep the door closed and assure my protection than

I would in a security team that doesn't seem to care all that much.

This light-hearted tale of door drama reminds us that sometimes, a little creativity and humor can turn a frustrating situation into a memorable experience. Do you think the mover’s approach was a clever way to handle the old man’s stubbornness, or did he overstep? How would you deal with a similar situation? Share your hot takes below!

Annie Nguyen

Annie Nguyen

Hi, I'm Annie Nguyen. I'm a freelance writer and editor for Daily Highlight with experience across lifestyle, wellness, and personal growth publications. Living in San Francisco gives me endless inspiration, from cozy coffee shop corners to weekend hikes along the coast. Thanks for reading!

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