“This is Private Property!” “Okay, See Ya!”: Rude Manager’s Power Trip Backfires

We’ve all had those days where we’d do anything for an unexpected day off. Well, one supermarket employee got his wish in the most hilarious way possible, all thanks to a rude, power-tripping manager who simply refused to listen.

After being reluctantly convinced to drive for hours and start a shift at the crack of dawn, our hero was met not with a welcome, but with an accusation. What follows is a masterful display of “malicious compliance” that is as satisfying as it is funny.

This story is the perfect example of why you should never interrupt someone:

You just have to love it, don’t you? It’s the perfect little revenge story, served cold and with a side of utter pettiness. The employee didn’t argue, he didn’t raise his voice, he simply took the manager at his word and drove off into the sunrise with a smile on his face.

The best part? He then used the manager’s own aggressive tactics against him during that follow-up call. The interruptions, the refusal to hear another side of the story, it’s just a beautiful mirroring of the manager’s own rudeness. You can practically hear the manager’s brain short-circuiting as he realizes his own power trip has come back to bite him.

The Glorious Art of Following the Rules… To the Letter

This story is a prime example of why being polite is usually the smarter option. The manager’s default setting was aggression, and it cost him an employee for the day. He didn’t ask, “Can I help you?” or “Are you here for the morning shift?” He went straight to accusations and threats.

This kind of “malicious compliance,” where someone follows orders they know are absurd just to prove a point, is a very human way of regaining a sense of power in a powerless situation. The employee was forced into a shift he didn’t want, at an hour he didn’t want. He had no control. But when the manager handed him an opportunity on a silver platter, he seized it.

This whole thing highlights a fascinating aspect of workplace dynamics. Research from the field of organizational behavior often points out how much a manager’s communication style can affect employee morale and performance. A study published in the Journal of Business and Psychology, for example, found that supportive and respectful communication from managers leads to higher employee satisfaction and commitment. This manager learned that lesson the hard way. He created a situation where the employee had no incentive to help him fix his own mistake. And honestly, can you blame him?

The internet absolutely loved this story of perfect compliance.

Redditors celebrated the OP for his quick thinking and for turning the manager’s rudeness back on him.

Many shared their own amazing stories of similar situations, from snowplow drivers to IT technicians.

How to Handle a Manager on a Power Trip

Let’s be real, most of us probably would have just explained who we were and gone to work. But the OP’s story is a great lesson in seizing the moment. If you’re ever in a situation where a manager’s own rules or aggression can be used to your advantage, sometimes the best move is to just… comply.

The key to malicious compliance is to remain calm, polite, and completely within the bounds of the rules. The OP didn’t swear at the manager or cause a scene. He was apologetic and followed the instructions to the letter. This left the manager with absolutely no leg to stand on when he later complained.

If you find yourself in a similar spot, document everything. A quick text to your own manager or a note in a work log can cover you. The OP had the phone call as his proof. The IT technician in the comments sent a text to his boss. Covering your bases is what turns a petty move into a genius one.

In the End…

This is one of those perfect little work stories that restores your faith in cosmic justice. The rude manager learned a valuable lesson, and the overworked employee got a much-deserved day off. It’s a win-win, unless you’re the manager, of course.

What do you think? Have you ever had a chance for some glorious malicious compliance? Let us know your best stories!