Everybody has occasionally considered taking revenge. We might have dreamed about delivering someone their just desserts or experienced someone getting even with us. Dreaming about retribution is one thing, but carrying it out is quite another. Here, we’ll explore tales of people who exacted personal retribution—actions that many of us can only fantasize carrying out.
We attended our middle school reunion through Zoom this week, and my buddy Janice shared a touching story. Every grade in our school, with the exception of Kindergarten, was paired with another. For instance, the first and second grades, the third and fourth, and so on, were taught simultaneously.
Students in the 7th and 8th grades took part in a unique project called Toy Team (TT) each year. We were given the challenge of creating a toy that we could sell in teams. Representatives from the local business community evaluated our work and gave out awards in categories like Best Design, Best Research, and Best Presentation.
TT was designed to foster creativity and teamwork, but it frequently caused more problems than it was worth. My eighth-grade year served as an example of this, thanks to one student named Carlos (not his real name). Carlos was a real punk in addition to being a math and science prodigy. He had a group of followers that carried out his orders, and he looked down on everyone.
Carlos’s parents made substantial gifts, which made him untouchable at our prestigious school. There wasn’t much the teachers could do to correct him. I was looking forward to working with my buddy Janice when we discovered Carlos was part of our group. As soon as possible, Carlos took charge of the situation, controlling us and assigning us secretarial duties while he constructed our toy glider.
I once urged Carlos to tweak the glider when I saw a rubber band on the verge of breaking when testing the gliders. The band broke as Carlos disregarded me, striking him in the face and shattering the glider. He became enraged with me and said I was bad at science and math, which crushed my soul because I had trouble with those courses because of a learning problem.
Tearfully, I ran home, where my dad consoled me and came up with a plan to punish Carlos. My father got in touch with Janice’s parents and our teacher, and they were supportive. Carlos was instructed by our teacher, Mrs. Adams, to work alone going forward, with Janice and I working on our own assignment.
We rebuilt the glider in less than a week under Carol’s leadership. We even double-checked our work with our dads’ assistance, and we improved. Carlos appeared worried on the day of the presentation, even though his glider looked great. We discovered that Carlos had taken our work and presented it as his own after the presentations.
Carlos claimed we gave him our work when he was questioned. We did, however, have a signed contract that proved differently. After learning from our dads’ boss that Carlos failed the project, his parents were unable to contest the first “D” on his report card. The finest part of winning finest Design with Janice and me was watching Carlos’s ego burst.
There’s another anecdote about my mom and my wife, whom she despises. My mother once insisted on riding in the front seat when we picked her up from the airport. Knowing that the passenger side window would not roll up, my spouse and I switched places in private. I was secretly happy when my mom got soaked at the car wash.
And there’s the story of my dad, who grew up in a rough town in the Rust Belt. My mom’s beloved Ford Mustang convertible was brought by my parents when they assisted my grandparents in moving. They constructed a paint-filled hose underneath the car to protect it. When the automobile was taken, my dad and his buddies were able to locate the thief’s residence by using the paint that was seeping, all thanks to my tall, ex-military grandfather.
My mom, who was always challenging, had a lot of disagreements with my wife. My wife’s sister told me about my mom’s cruel ways before our modest wedding. My mom was shocked when I brought pie tins loaded with whipped cream for a surprise pie-throwing game. Her decision to forego the wedding ceremony resulted in a months-long period of silence, but it was worthwhile.
Another time, my grandmother had planned for the family to inherit something, and my uncle had conned me out of it. He learned a hard lesson about greed when a con artist stole his newfound fortune from him in less than two weeks.
One of my favorite stories is about a bully who was once a classmate. I physically and legally tackled him during a hockey drill, which resulted in his transfer to a different team and a much-needed break for me and the other victims of his abuse.
Digital retaliation is also possible. An example of this was when an ex-partner pilfered my girlfriend’s dress money from an internet store. I gathered proof and denounced the husband to his unit using social media and his military connections, which ultimately resulted in his removal from the army for misconduct and bigotry.
The best outcomes when dealing with betrayal are frequently achieved quickly. I told my ex-fiance’s family and friends that she had cheated on her with a mutual acquaintance and made sure she was held accountable.
And then there’s Jafar, my horrible lounge boss. He treated us workers badly and took use of weaknesses to his advantage. When he started stealing food from me, I began preparing meals with bacon and pork—foods that were off limits to him. Even if it didn’t solve every problem, it was a modest but welcome win.
Ultimately, seeking revenge frequently involves making real and personal amends rather than resorting to large-scale displays of force. Each of these tales demonstrates the ingenuity and tenacity people employ, even in modest amounts, to uphold justice. These instances of revenge serve as a reminder that, occasionally, the best retribution is personal, whether it is achieved through meticulous planning, the use of digital investigation, or the creation of a delectably appropriate joke.
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