We all work with psychos, whether we know it or not. Occasionally they will out themselves, but usually they will just fly under the radar. We have one person who likes scaring people with toy mice and spiders. The amount of time this person invests in this is truly inspiring. They instinctually, or through study, have figured out the most effective methods for scaring people. For example, while relieving myself in a shared bathroom I noticed a roll of toilet paper had fallen from the stack of extras. I bent down to pick it up. Right as I was about to grab the toilet paper roll I saw a large black spider. It was perfectly positioned so I couldn’t see it until I was bent over and a little off balance. I jumped, smacked my head against the wall but luckily didn’t fall over. It was a plastic toy spider but I didn’t know that. My lizard brain reacted and I’m luck I didn’t shriek.
Another time, I was reaching into a cabinet for a machine part. The cabinet has deep shelves and as I crouched down to get the part off the bottom shelf I reached in and was greeted with a small grey rubber mouse. That time I was not so lucky. I fell back and let out a little scream as well as a few choice expletives.
I am not totally blameless in this anonymous torture of co-workers. Nobody knows who is pulling the pranks. The weird thing is, the shop is big enough and the tricks happen in places where the perpetrator doesn’t get to see the victims spring their traps. They might hear second hand stories but that is all. My thing is more of an annoyance. After using the restroom always leave the towels like this…
It is harmless as things go, but I know it drives more than one person crazy. I’m not sure why I do it. I can’t help myself. I’ve been doing it for months and I instinctually do it every timeI wash my hands now. There is no real payoff. I just kind of giggle to myself as I leave the bathroom. Someday I expect I’ll be figured out but so far I’ve only heard someone complaining about it in the breakroom.