Jake had always been the calm one at work. No matter how chaotic things got, he kept his cool. But today, things were different. His boss threw him under the bus during the meeting, blaming him for a mistake he hadn’t made. Jake bit his tongue, smiled, and nodded.
Later, when a coworker spilled coffee on his laptop and laughed it off, Jake hit the roof.
“I’ve had enough!” he shouted, slamming the desk.
“I’m sorry, man. Don’t blow things out of proportion,” his coworker said, trying to lighten the mood.
But Jake had reached his limit. That was the last straw.
He walked straight to HR and handed in his resignation letter. “I need to get out of this rat race,” he said calmly.
As he walked out of the building, he felt free for the first time in years. The city air never smelled sweeter.
Idioms Used in the Story
1. Throw someone under the bus
Meaning: To betray or blame someone to protect yourself.
Examples:
- She threw her assistant under the bus to save her own job.
- I can’t believe you’d throw me under the bus like that!
2. Bite one’s tongue
Meaning: To stop yourself from saying something you really want to say.
Examples:
- I had to bite my tongue to avoid arguing with him in front of the kids.
- She bit her tongue and kept walking.
3. Hit the roof
Meaning: To become extremely angry.
Examples:
- My dad hit the roof when he saw the phone bill.
- He’ll hit the roof if you’re late again.
4. Blow things out of proportion
Meaning: To exaggerate the seriousness of a situation.
Examples:
- Don’t blow things out of proportion—it’s just a scratch.
- You’re blowing it out of proportion. It wasn’t a big deal.
5. The last straw
Meaning: The final problem in a series that causes a person to lose patience or take action.
Examples:
- When he arrived two hours late, that was the last straw.
- Her constant criticism was the last straw.
