28-year-old shamed by new coworker over "unprofessional" Pokemon-themed lunch box, geek community comes to his aid and proves he's not alone: "Nice lunchbox, dude. My kid has the same one."

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Feb 21, 2025 3:00 PM EST

What's the best thing about being an adult? Surely, it's not the weird, random pains we all get now from standing up too quickly. It's also not all the responsibilities that come with age – work, taxes, remembering to send your nieces and nephews age-appropriate birthday gifts lest you lose your status as the Cool Aunt or Uncle. Honestly, the only real benefit of being an adult is being able to spend your money on all of the things that you wanted as a kid and never got to have. I've recently acquired a Nintendo Switch and have spent the last month tending to my little island on Animal Crossing. I'm also not one to say no to any Harry Potter, Hello Kitty, or Naruto-branded item – because why not? It's my money!

In our story today, a man is shamed by a coworker for indulging his inner child by bringing a Pokemon-themed lunchbox to work. Puzzled by such a strong negative reaction, he takes to the internet where he is comforted by a geeky community. Scroll down to get the full story. 

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  • 01

    AITAH for refusing to stop using my "embarrassing" lunchbox at work?

    "Grow up and get real lunch bag. a
    via ASSY from Pixabay

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I (28M) bring my lunch to work every day in a bright blue Pokémon lunchbox. I've had it for years, and I don't think much about it-it's just the perfect size, keeps my food cold, and honestly, I think it's kinda fun.
    via u/TheSkaldofBass
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10470899712
    via Elisabeth Coelfen

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 04
    Recently, a new coworker, Matt (35M), started making comments about it. At first, it was just joking around-stuff like, "Nice lunchbox, dude, my kid has
    via u/TheSkaldofBass
  • 05
    the same one." Whatever, I laughed it off. But then he kept bringing it up, saying it was "unprofessional" and that I should "grow up and get a real lunch bag."
    via u/TheSkaldofBass
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10470900480
    via filadendron

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    I told him I didn't see the issue and that it's literally just a lunchbox. But last week, he took it further, telling me in front of our coworkers that it was
    via u/TheSkaldofBass
  • 08
    "weird for a grown man to be carrying around kid stuff." I told him he should worry less about my lunchbox and more about his own life.
    via u/TheSkaldofBass
  • 09
    Now he's been acting cold toward me, and a couple of coworkers said I was being too harsh, that he was just "messing around." But I don't see why I should change something harmless just because one guy thinks it's weird.
    via u/TheSkaldofBass
  • 10
    Space_Toast_Cadet Super weird that he feels the need to control a coworker's lunch box choices. Sounds like he needs a different hobby. NTA
    via u/Space_Toast_Cadet
  • 11
    Talk-O-Boy Matt would have a heart attack if he saw my lunchbox My lunchbox
    via u/Talk-O-Boy
  • 12
    <6331 HOAKE GAME READY CALLE
    via Amazon
  • 13
    Space_Toast Cadet That lunchbox is SICK
    via u/Space_Toast_Cadet
  • 14
    Mythtory The only thing that would make that better is if you could play Tetris on it.
    via u/Mythtory
  • 15
    whereistheidiotemoji You're just showing off.
    via u/whereistheidiotemoji
  • 16
    pokeyeahmon They should really expand the description from "for Boys Girls Kids Toddlers Teens" to "for Boys Girls Kids Toddlers Teens and really cool adults"
    via u/pokeyeahmon
  • 17
    ricks35 The only reason the situation has gotten weird is because Matt arrived and started acting like a 12 year old who's so unsure of themselves that they think having any personality trait would be a bad thing so they start mocking other kids for daring to have interests
    via u/ricks35
  • 18
    Space_Toast_Cadet Totally. And he's jealous somebody has a cooler lunchbox than him. Lolll
    via u/Space_Toast_Cadet

  • He totally secretly wants his own cool lunchbox. Maybe our protagonist should get him one. He might balk at first, but his neglected inner child will be overjoyed. 

  • 19
    ern19 Yep he expected OP to just roll because he said so and now he doesn't know what to do with himself. Bet he's a real treat at home
    via u/ern19
  • 20
    Comfortable-Tiger346 No. You do you, Matt has issues.
    via u/Comfortable-Tiger346
  • 21
    Resident-Rhubarb8372 I regularly wear my pikachu backpack out and about. Also in my 30s. Don't let anyone beat the inner child out of you in my experience that inner child is the best part of most people I meet
    via u/Resident-Rhubarb8372
  • 22
    Cheezburger Image 10470899968
    via Voltordu from Pixabay

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 23
    Comfortable-Tiger346 Don't ever let them take your inner child away, you will end up sad and miserable like them.
    via u/Comfortable-Tiger346
  • 24
    Tipsy Magpie My large Viking-looking husband went shopping with me a couple of months ago and fell in love with a 3ft stuffed cheetah. We call him Sad Cheetah because he has a very concerned expression on his face like this
    via u/TipsyMagpie
  • 25
    Sad Cheetah lives on our sofa and my husband cuddles him while he watches tv, and why the h I not? The best part about being an adult is having grown up money and nobody telling you what you can and can't spend it on! Despite a large number of people believing I should
    via u/TipsyMagpie
  • 26
    "make him" stop spending so much on Pokemon, that's not and will never be our vibe. It saddens me that so many people seemingly want to squash these simple joys from people's lives, particularly those they allegedly love. (It's more about control than love, in my opinion).
    via u/TipsyMagpie

  • Similarly, no one can pry my giant Ikea shark away from my fiancé's arms when we're watching Severance. He's just so cute and cuddly!

  • 27
    rabbithole-xyz My Mum bought me a fluffy owl when I was in my 50s. Because I had admired it, lol. He sits on our couch, too.
    via u/rabbithole-xyz
  • 28
    Cheezburger Image 10470900224
    via Arina Krasnikova from Pexels

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 29
    HoneyWyne I'm 53 and still use my South Park book bag from 26 years ago.
    via u/HoneyWyne
  • 30
    Midwest Normal I'm 62 and still occasionally use my original metal Beatles Yellow Submarine lunchbox.
    via u/MidwestNormal
  • 31
    EyesinmyMind13 I love my eevee backpack. It's so harmless enjoying fun things like that.
    via u/EyesinmyMind13
  • 32
    SapphireFarmer Matt is the kind of guy who bu ied other kids because he was jealous that they are confident and enjoyed stuff. He was always trying to look cool but didn't get to actually enjoy the stuff he wanted
    via u/SapphireFarmer
  • 33
    tandem_kayak I can't believe people act like that as adults. I'm lucky I went into IT where geeky sh is celebrated.
    via u/tandem_kayak
  • 34
    Mega-Pints This can't really be about a Pokémon lunchbox. Has to have some underlying control issues there. Call it out, makes it less powerful. "Why are you fixated on my lunchbox? Grown men being obsessed with my lunchbox isn't normal."
    via u/Mega-Pints
  • 35
    Goat-chicken-show My completely made-up theory - Matt is a lunch thief who is jealous of OPs lunches but knows he can't snaffle them because everyone would recognize him digging in a lunchbox that is obviously not his.
    via u/Goat-chicken-show
  • 36
    AutisticTumourGirl Yeah, he said a grown man carrying that lunch box was weird. What's weird is a grown man being obsessed with someone else's choice of container to lug food around in. Why tf does it matter, like, at all?
    via u/AutisticTumourGirl
  • 37
    AccurateSession1354 My husband has a hello kitty lunchbox I bought him as a joke. He brings it to work proudly every day and anyone who gives him sh he laughs at. He works for the navy building their submarines so definitely has some "masculine men" there and 90 percent of them don't give a
    via u/AccurateSession1354
  • 38
    Necessary-Grocery-88 My wife bought me a cosmic taco cat shirt as a joke one year. I periodically wear it to work as an engineer and people love it. It's so hideous that it's awesome.
    via u/Necessary-Grocery-88
  • 39
    Visual-Lobster6625 When my brother was in the army, they were told to get their own sheets. He got My Little Pony sheets for his barracks, lol.
    via u/Visual-Lobster6625
  • 40
    TooManyNosyFriends My husband's phone case is pink with hearts. He uses it proudly. He wanted to show our daughter that men can rock pink.
    via u/TooManyNosyFriends
  • 41
    Appropriate_Sky_6571 I brought my husband a super girly Totoro lunch bag. He loves it
    via u/Appropriate_Sky_6571
  • 42
    Subspaceisgoodspace I have a sparkly unicorn water bottle. No one steals it. It always finds its way back to me. Matt is trying to put you down and be mean. Ignore him.
    via u/Subspaceisgoodspace

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Tags

terrible coworkers Pokémon corporate throwback geeky nerds Pokémemes coworkers inner child reddit story lunch pokemon logic workplace reddit thread Reddit empowering
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