Every office has one – that coworker who treats your desk like a self-serve station. For one Reddit user, it wasn’t staplers or snacks being stolen, but her favorite gel pens.
What started as mild irritation turned into a small but sparkling act of revenge when the office pen thief crossed the wrong line.
What followed wasn’t a shouting match or HR drama, but a clever, glitter-filled comeback that left everyone laughing – except the thief.
When a Sneaky Pen Thief Met Her Match: Glitter Revenge at the Office
The Pen That Sparked the Petty War
For months, the Redditor noticed something strange: her favorite purple gel pen kept vanishing from her desk. At first, she thought she misplaced it. Then it happened again, and again, until one day she spotted her coworker – the self-proclaimed “office sweetheart” – using it in a team meeting.
When she politely mentioned it, the thief just laughed and said, “Oops, I must’ve picked it up by accident!” There was no apology, no guilt. That’s when the Redditor decided it was time for payback but not the kind that lands you in HR.
She came in early the next day armed with a new batch of pens, all filled with glitter ink. Not the subtle shimmer kind, but the kind that leaves trails of sparkle on every surface it touches. She placed them neatly in her pen holder, like bait waiting for a bite.
Sure enough, a few days later, she saw her coworker writing furiously during a meeting and slowly realizing her notes were now a disco ball of pink and gold sparkles.
The look of shock was priceless. The office fell silent, then burst into laughter. After that, the mysterious disappearances stopped.
No confrontation, no drama – just poetic justice, wrapped in glitter.
Why Small Acts of Revenge Hit So Hard
It might sound silly, but petty moments like this highlight something bigger about office culture. When people repeatedly cross small boundaries, like borrowing supplies without asking, it chips away at trust.
A 2022 OfficeTeam survey found that nearly half of employees admit to “borrowing” items from coworkers without returning them, costing companies billions each year in lost supplies.
It’s not just about pens. It’s about respect. Psychologist Amy Cuddy, author of Presence 2.0, explained it perfectly:
“Petty power plays like pilfering signal deeper deficits in respect; countering with clever calm reclaims your corner without ceding control.”
In other words, standing up for yourself doesn’t have to mean confrontation. Sometimes humor, especially a glitter bomb, can set boundaries better than anger ever could.
Our Redditor didn’t want revenge; she wanted peace. By adding a touch of mischief, she showed that playfulness can be powerful. The glitter pens made her point loud and clear without saying a word.
What Could Have Been Done Differently
Not every workplace prank ends this smoothly. While this one was harmless and hilarious, things could’ve gone wrong if the coworker took offense.
Experts suggest handling small workplace conflicts with light humor or private conversation before jumping into pranks – unless, of course, the prank is safe and free of malice, like this one.
For anyone dealing with similar “borrowers,” labeling personal supplies or setting gentle verbal boundaries works wonders.
And if you’re the one who borrows things often? Remember – even a pen can hold emotional value when it’s tied to daily habits.
Workplace harmony thrives on mutual respect, and humor can sometimes rebuild it better than confrontation.
When this story hit Reddit, users lit up like the glitter itself.
Many users shared their own experiences – from coworkers who “borrowed” chargers to those who always stole snacks from the fridge.
For most readers, the moral was clear: a little sparkle goes a long way when setting boundaries.
The Glitter Lesson
In the end, this lighthearted tale isn’t just about a pen or even revenge. It’s about how small acts of wit can reclaim your space and dignity without hurting anyone.
The glitter wasn’t just decoration, it was a reminder that respect can shine brightest when delivered with humor.
Boundaries don’t always need words. Sometimes they just need a little sparkle.
So, what would you have done? Would you have gone the glitter route, or handled it the traditional way? And what’s your own “office revenge” story that left a little sparkle behind?
