Nanny's 'Petty Revenge' on Woman Who Queue-Jumped Her at CVS Applauded

A nanny who took revenge on a woman who jumped the queue on a three-year-old child has been lauded by thousands for her version of justice.

But while the nanny was cheered for her actions online, an etiquette expert was less impressed, instead telling Newsweek both women should "forgive each other."

Reddit user Carmelized took to the r/PettyRevenge sub on October 29, in a post with almost 8,000 upvotes, where she explained the three-year-old she cares for had earned a reward as part of her potty training, so she took the child to CVS to pick out a small toy.

But when the time came to pay, the little girl dropped the toy as she was placing it on the counter. A woman behind them, carrying several bags of candy, was making it clear she was impatient by "huffing and tapping her foot."

As the toddler dropped the toy, the woman pushed ahead of them, telling the cashier the nanny and girl were "not ready yet and she's in a hurry" so she had to go first.

"Normally I'd say something, but I don't want to get in an argument in front of the 3yo," the nanny wrote. "So we wait for impatient lady to check out, then quickly pay for our one item."

Jo Hayes, of EtiquetteExpert.org, told Newsweek the impatient woman needs to "pause, breathe" and try to "pursue a lifestyle where 'rush' and 'hurry' are not your companions'."

"One is able to maintain a far greater sense of peace, calm, joy and centredness when one does not abide in a lifestyle of 'rush' and 'hurry'," she suggested.

The nanny took a less forgiving stance. When the child and nanny exited the store, they found the impatient woman had parked beside them. And so, the nanny opened the car doors, essentially blocking her, and took her time buckling the child in, giving her a snack, and allowing her to open the wrapper on her brand new toy, "which took her twice as long as it would have taken me."

Finally, as she was preparing to leave, the nanny smiled at the impatient woman and thanked her for waiting.

Expert Hayes admitted she herself is not a fan of petty revenge, and would "discourage" people from "lower[ing] our standards for quick gratification."

She encouraged the nanny to "believe the best about this woman. Perhaps she really was in a great hurry to get to an important [or] urgent event," and suggested the nanny could have willingly stepped aside to let her go first—or asserted her position in the line in a "kind, calm, but clear way."

Being assertive can reduce your stress and make you a better communicator, according to a post from Mayo Clinic. It can also boost your self-esteem and earn respect from others, while passive behavior can lead to resentment and anger.

The nanny chose not to get in an argument in front of the child we was caring for, instead going the "petty revenge" route. Pictured, a stock image of a grocery check-out line. Anastasija Vujic/Getty Imaeges

"It's best for all concerned, to do the 'brave/bold' thing in the moment, rather than let resentment take root," Hayes advised, rather than "unhealthy" passive-aggressive behavior.

Reddit users in the r/PettyRevenge sub had a different take, as the nanny was celebrated for her actions, and many suggested ways she could have gone even further.

One called her response "perfect," saying "passive-aggressive is one of the best ways to annoy the hell out of unreasonable people."

"Superb. Chef's kiss," another wrote, while a third admitted they would have "shoved that woman's items off the counter and said to the cashier, 'Actually, we ARE ready to check out.'"

"Excellent use of passive aggression," a different user praised.

Newsweek has reached out to u/Carmelized on Reddit for comment on this story.

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