It's possible the demeaning is all in your head
I related all this to him and mentioned that I liked to "get back" at them by regularly walking in and using the lobby bathroom. He looked over at me with a severe expression and said, "You may as well have been pissing in their mouths."
I suppose that's the point in the parable where I was "enlightened." My friend's meaning was that, by acting spitefully and vengefully, I wasn't doing myself or anyone else any favors. I think the same could be said of OP's story.