I Kept Coming Home to a Toothpick in the Lock—Instead of Calling the Police, I Took Revenge on My Own Terms
ArchiveFirst published May 12, 2025. It may not reflect later developments.
Dramatized story: This piece is a fictionalized story inspired by real-life situations. Names and details may have been changed.
After a long hospital shift, Reggie came home to find a toothpick jammed in her front door lock. It happened again the next night. With her brother’s help, she installed a security camera — and caught the culprit: her ex-boyfriend Josh.
Josh had inserted the toothpicks hoping she’d call him for help, thinking it might lead to reconciliation. “So you sabotaged my lock… to play hero?” Reggie asked in disbelief. Josh stammered, “It sounds dumb when you say it like that…”
Instead of calling the police, Reggie and her friend Connor set a trap. Connor, wearing her pink bathrobe, caught Josh mid-toothpick. The confrontation ended with Josh running away — and Reggie uploading the footage to TikTok.
The video hit 3 million views. Josh lost his job (his boss was Amber’s dad — the “friend” he’d cheated with). Reggie closed the chapter with a new lock and a celebratory pizza.
Sometimes, revenge needs no cops — just creativity and a camera.
