Entitled carpenter steals his blue-collar co-worker's ladder since she's a ‘girl’ and can't complain, so she nails his tools to the floor, teaching him a lesson with a prank: ‘So much managing of fragile egos!’

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Mar 20, 2026 7:00 PM EDT

It's no surprise to hear that the blue-collar industry is dominated by men. That's just one of those industries that hasn't been able to entice more feminine energy with their marketing. Why? You'll just have to work a blue-collar job to figure that out. That being said, that doesn't mean it is all men. Here we have a female carpenter, or a "carpentress," navigating a masculine-energized workplace. What does that mean? It means you do not communicate your needs with words, but with immature pranks, apparently. But hey, whatever works! 

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    Female blue collar carpenter looking annoyed with safety glasses on
    via Unsplash+ (and mahdi chaghari)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
    Female blue collar carpenter looking annoyed with safety glasses on

  • You always hear about the Karen client who refuses to pay for her home renovations because she asked for eggshell paint, not seashell. Or she demands to see the manager because the carpenter working on her home brought a tuna fish sandwich for lunch and is offending her nostrils. Something stupid like that. But there are Karens everywhere; it's not a name anymore, it's a mentality. In this carpentress' story, the Karen is her male coworker who is abusing the fact that she has to walk on eggshells (not the paint chip kind) as the only girl in the team. Little does he know that she's been in the game long enough to know exactly how to handle his immaturity. 

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    "My coworker was being a tool so I nailed his to the floor"

    I'm a woman who works in construction. I mainly wood framed apartment complexes for the majority of my career. I am also usually the only female on the jobsite. So I have to often decide how to handle the interactions with my male colleagues.
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    If I lose my cool I run the risk of being labeled a "b or get talked about even if a colleague deserves it.
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    One day on the job, I collected all of the ladders that were on the jobsite because they often get left behind (we work in one direction and move up floors when we finish a floor). I piled the
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    ladders neatly and by size and then got to working on my task for the day. Well I had my 6ft ladder and my nailgun but needed more nails so I had to run down to the connex to carry 3 ten pound boxes up 5 flights of stairs. And when I got
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    upstairs back to my area my ladder was gone. A coworker had taken it. I asked him why he didn't just take from the pile that was on the other side of the room and he shrugged and asked me why I can't just do the same.
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    Like dude it's the principle of it. Because if I would've
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    stole his or anyone's ladder they were using and there was a pile of them in eyesight I would've gotten my a chewed out and I would have had to take it on the
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    chin. The unfairness of it all ped me off and I waited till break when everyone went to either their car or the break area I hid out in the portapotty.
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    I took note of his tool bag. before everyone went to break and when I found it I nailed that son of a bl to the floor. I even took lags (big a screws that go into wood) and screwed those in and bent them over. Best part
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    is that I used different sizes (ranging from 4inch 6inch and 8inch) you can't just pull those out either you gotta unscrew it because the grips are so coarse. He never said anything neither did our
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    12 other coworkers so I'm assuming he never knew it was me. Info: the bags I'm talking about are called pouches.
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    They go around your waist and have pockets for all your tools. Also I didn't make any holes or puncture anything or damage his property. The
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    pouches are secured around the waist like a heavy duty belt so I just used the holes that were already there. Also there are ringlets for stuff that can hang like a hammer and I used those holes put a few nails in and bend them over.
    via ThrowRA-ForgetMeNot-
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    Blue collar carpenter male climbing up a ladder looking smug
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
    Blue collar carpenter male climbing up a ladder looking smug

  • She turned the tables on him, and now if he's the one who complains, then he's just not a fun guy to work with. Bravo, queen! Don't forget to pick your crown up on your way out of the job site today! It's small wins like these that we all should be celebrating these days. It ain't easy out there, and finding a job is rough. So the fact that this woman not only has a job, but got one that doesn't usually go to women is an accomplishment on its own. But now also her epic comeback that served up a prank AND a life lesson??? Now, that is a feminist icon right there. We applaud you, bestie. 

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    Remote_Bumblebee2240 Hi fellow carpentress! Anyone who says men are less emotional and full of drama has never worked as the only woman on a construction crew lol. So much managing of fragile egos.
    via Remote_Bumblebee2240
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    different-take4u For the next time, there will be many more next times, get some Permatex Anti Seize goop at any auto parts store. You cannot wash that stuff off, it spreads and spreads and spreads. Tool handles, door handles anything that needs touching is a good place to smear some. Wear gloves or you will also be wiping and wiping. Remember to remove all paper towels and cloth like things from the area to make it harder on those that get into it.
    via different-take4u
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    Is-this-rabbit Sounds like you handled it very well. It's the sort of prank a man would pull. The idiot probably p ed other people off as well, so it would have been fair game for others to do what you did. Presumably his behaviour improved?
    via Is-this-rabbit
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    CCSucc When I was a panelbeater's apprentice, one of the regular gags the old hands used to pull on the youngsters was nailing the latter's boots to the breakroom table through the sole. Thankfully they never did that to me, I was smart enough to never leave my boots at work.
    via CCSucc
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    chaos_coordinator66 That's awesome!! This is absolutely hilarious to me! I work in construction too. In the office but I do have interaction with the field so I can imagine how bad it is onsite. It's tough on us ladies. Keep up the good work.
    via chaos_coordinator66
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    MsSamm I'm guessing they all knew. Doubt your ladder will be stolen again
    via MsSamm

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Tags

satisfying coworkers carpenter inspirational entitled coworker carpentress blue collar karma construction workers
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