16 Times Life Let Us See Behind The Scenes

You just know that behind the shiny surfaces we see all around us in life, there's pure chaos underneath. We just don't get to see it very often.

And sometimes it's not chaos underneath at all, but a brilliant little surprise. Sometimes it's three kids standing on their shoulders beneath the trench coat, and sometimes it's a tall dude with a baby face and weird posture.

You never know for sure until life gives you a glimpse of what's happening behind the scenes.

1. A trip through the dishwasher revealed that this red glittery mug was actually a Wonder Woman mug in disguise.

Reddit | domnewman1

Pretty dramatic reveal, but you'd need the entire Justice League's help to ever get all of the glitter out of that dishwasher.

2. This Dunkin' Donuts made the most of its history, providing its customers with a covered drive-thru.

Reddit | delorean182

It's a feature made possible because the building used to be home to a car wash.

3. This elevator lost the "door close" button off its panel, revealing that it never did anything at all.

Reddit | rsapolsky

Which, if it's true for all elevators, sure explains a lot, amirite?

4. For anybody who has ever wondered, this is what the inside of a gas pump looks like.

Reddit | LoIIip0p

Part of me expected all three grades of gas to come from the same pipe, but no, they're clearly on the up-and-up. So at least there's that.

5. And, for similarly curious minds, here's the inside of a Redbox machine. 

Reddit | connorappleby

It has to be painstaking work to load all of those trays, but a lot of folks sure appreciate it.

6. You know, I always thought that grocery stores had a soda display team arranging cases into all those awesome designs.

Reddit | cgart96

Turns out that the building blocks for those displays aren't quite what they seem.

7. Well, here's a pleasant surprise — take the dials off this keyboard and you'll find a couple of funny faces drawn on.

Reddit | SkyBS

Because why not hide something fun for those who are willing to look for it?

8. This air canister wasn't always intended to be sold as an air duster.

Reddit | Reddit

In at least two previous lives, it was headed for store shelves as an air horn instead.

9. This shaving gel canister gave up its secrets once its label was removed.

Reddit | Papa_Songs

It uses a remarkably simple air pressure design, rather than harmful aerosols, to propel its contents out.

10. Probably the last thing you'd expect to see when opening an electrical box, but this glowing blue bulb isn't actually alien technology.

Reddit | The_Revolutionary

It's an arc rectifier, which switches power from AC to DC.

11. This digital window display would normally provide some sedate background images or some important information.

Reddit | h0td0gger

Instead, the window's operating system — the window's Windows — is having some technical difficulties, which really spoils the illusion.

12. You know, even for McDonald's, it's important to update your menu from time to time.

Reddit | MasterFerretfu

You'd better believe that if you don't, Windows will push them through at the most inopportune time.

13. Well, this is awkward — a blue screen of death splashed all over this mall's digital pillars. 

Reddit | Consti

That has to be the last thing the mall's IT guys want to see.

14. Reflections from windows do make pretty patterns on walls.

Reddit | EvilDuncan

These "reflections," however, are painted on. On a wall that's not even facing any windows. Doesn't that seem like an odd illusion to create, or is it just me?

15. If you tear open one of those big square batteries, you'll find that inside, it's just a bunch of smaller batteries on a cardboard block.

Reddit | Jollyville

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that.

16. Fire alarms seem so much more complicated when you see someone pull down on the little bar to set one off.

Reddit | Silentwisdom91

Turns out there's just a little switch inside that the little bar pushes. Kind of a disappointment, really.