One of the worst aspects of being in school is dealing with bullies. Students are simply there to get an education, but often, their thoughts are preoccupied with figuring out how to avoid tormentors between classes. And no matter how many times pupils fantasize about getting revenge on their cruel classmates, the reality is that few will ever get the chance.
However, some do get the opportunity to find out what their bullies are up to years after they’ve graduated. Reddit users have been sharing stories of encounters they had with their former bullies, so we've compiled a list of them below. Some are satisfying, others are heartbreaking, and some are surprisingly wholesome. But we hope they all inspire you to eventually forgive your own former bullies, as karma has probably punished them enough.
#21
I guess this was wasn't constant bullying, more of a one time thing.
In all honesty, I think this guy was just looking for someone to punch, as it happens that was me. I don't even recall what exactly happened, my friend had gone in a shop while I waited outside and I just remember him walking up to me, saying something and then punching me in the face.
He was about 16 at the time and I was about 12. Not only did it hurt, it scared the [hell] out of me and I was scared to go out for quite a while afterwards.
Turns out he tried to rob an old man a few months later. The poor old guy tried to defend himself and in a panic, the guy who punched me stabbed him in the head with a screwdriver.
He's serving a lengthy term in prison. It's been about 7 or 8 years of his life he's wasted now and I'm not afraid to say I hope he rots in there.
In all honesty, I think this guy was just looking for someone to punch, as it happens that was me. I don't even recall what exactly happened, my friend had gone in a shop while I waited outside and I just remember him walking up to me, saying something and then punching me in the face.
He was about 16 at the time and I was about 12. Not only did it hurt, it scared the [hell] out of me and I was scared to go out for quite a while afterwards.
Turns out he tried to rob an old man a few months later. The poor old guy tried to defend himself and in a panic, the guy who punched me stabbed him in the head with a screwdriver.
He's serving a lengthy term in prison. It's been about 7 or 8 years of his life he's wasted now and I'm not afraid to say I hope he rots in there.
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11points
#22
There was a boy who used to pick on me in middle school and high school until he [passed away] in a flaming car wreck (Of course, he was the driver, drinking, and two others in the vehicle were injured. One of those is now pregnant, the other was in the hospital for 10 months.)
Anyway, All I could think about was that I didn't feel bad that he [passed away]. I didn't feel any remorse or sympathy for the still-living family he had. I read in the papers that he was such a great kid and was so friendly and cheerful.
No he wasn't. He was not great and he certainly wasn't friendly. He was a [jerk] and, though I'm not glad that he's [gone], I'm not discontented with the fact that he's not alive.
A confusing emotion.
Anyway, All I could think about was that I didn't feel bad that he [passed away]. I didn't feel any remorse or sympathy for the still-living family he had. I read in the papers that he was such a great kid and was so friendly and cheerful.
No he wasn't. He was not great and he certainly wasn't friendly. He was a [jerk] and, though I'm not glad that he's [gone], I'm not discontented with the fact that he's not alive.
A confusing emotion.
10points
#23
Saw one of my bullies several years back. She was fatter than she was in HS (which was pretty fat), married to white trash with kids, living the poor redneck life. I had a quiet little moment of smugness before going on about my day.
9points
#24
I ran into a guy that I got into 3 fist fights with (note: I was fat and he was not hence the fighting and general bullying). During my last year of high school I had lost all my extra weight, and then during college I went to the gym a lot so I'm in pretty good shape now.
Either way, when I ran into him, he first acted like nothing had ever happened and just started chatting it up. When he saw the "wth" look on my face he gave me the, I was a [jerk], look. I gave him the benefit of a doubt and ended up talking to him for a bit.
About 3 hours later, me, him, and about 5 other guys went on a motorcycle ride for about 4 hours and I realized something: he truly was sorry, had changed, and wasn't a completely bad person now.
I don't go out of my way to see the guy, but if we see each other we'll talk a bit.
My general point is that people can and do change over time. The bully of yesteryear might not be a bad person nowadays. Give them the benefit of a doubt.
Either way, when I ran into him, he first acted like nothing had ever happened and just started chatting it up. When he saw the "wth" look on my face he gave me the, I was a [jerk], look. I gave him the benefit of a doubt and ended up talking to him for a bit.
About 3 hours later, me, him, and about 5 other guys went on a motorcycle ride for about 4 hours and I realized something: he truly was sorry, had changed, and wasn't a completely bad person now.
I don't go out of my way to see the guy, but if we see each other we'll talk a bit.
My general point is that people can and do change over time. The bully of yesteryear might not be a bad person nowadays. Give them the benefit of a doubt.
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9points
#25
Hey Mike How are you doing!
Oh hey Steve, I'm doing well how are you?
I'm doing gr...
Yea I'm going to need a half pound of ham, sliced extra thin, thanks buddy.
Oh hey Steve, I'm doing well how are you?
I'm doing gr...
Yea I'm going to need a half pound of ham, sliced extra thin, thanks buddy.
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8points
#26
She wound up going to the same college as me. She apologized to me for [things] that was pulled years ago when she saw me on campus three years ago. This semester we awkwardly sit next to each other in Con Law class. I don't really speak to her.
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8points
#27
Back in elementary I had a couple of guys who tried to beat me up with a bike chain. After diving under a pine tree and being saved by the person who owned the house (hey it was grade 5 and I was no fighter) I still harbour just a twinge of schadenfreude now.
Guy 1: Became a mechanic, lost his job due to downsizing, lost his house from loosing his job, now lives in an apartment in the nastiest area of town. Still has enough money to have an internet connection (facebook tells all) and drink with his buddies. Also now sports a potbelly.
Guy 2: Was living on debt for too long (as far as I can gather) and has been progressively selling his stuff for the last six months. He never stopped living with with his parents. The guy used to have a beautiful BMW which he had to sell. Also used to have a beautiful fiance who dumped him.
I feel a little guilty every time I look at their facebook pages to check and make sure I'm still winning the game of life compared to them.
Bonus: The other guy who didn't do much (he actually was a good guy) but stood there and watched is now a businessman. He's got a bunch of subways and is making pretty good coin. I ran into him and his fiance a few weeks back and they were really friendly. Neither one of us mentioned the incident, it really wasn't relevant.
Moral of the story, privacy setting on facebook *thumbs up*.
Guy 1: Became a mechanic, lost his job due to downsizing, lost his house from loosing his job, now lives in an apartment in the nastiest area of town. Still has enough money to have an internet connection (facebook tells all) and drink with his buddies. Also now sports a potbelly.
Guy 2: Was living on debt for too long (as far as I can gather) and has been progressively selling his stuff for the last six months. He never stopped living with with his parents. The guy used to have a beautiful BMW which he had to sell. Also used to have a beautiful fiance who dumped him.
I feel a little guilty every time I look at their facebook pages to check and make sure I'm still winning the game of life compared to them.
Bonus: The other guy who didn't do much (he actually was a good guy) but stood there and watched is now a businessman. He's got a bunch of subways and is making pretty good coin. I ran into him and his fiance a few weeks back and they were really friendly. Neither one of us mentioned the incident, it really wasn't relevant.
Moral of the story, privacy setting on facebook *thumbs up*.
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8points
#28
I had one in high school when I played on the football team who used to berate me to no end. I understand football has a lot of trash talking but this kid used to do it purposely to get under my skin. I was twice as big as him and could have easily paralyzed him for life, but I never cracked.
A few years later I saw him at a college football game and found out his girlfriend had just left him and he was thinking about dropping out of college. I bought him a drink and convinced him to stick it out. Now he owns a start up small business and if I ever need some work done on my house for cheap, I know who to call.
Revenge doesn't pay folks, no matter what they did to you.
A few years later I saw him at a college football game and found out his girlfriend had just left him and he was thinking about dropping out of college. I bought him a drink and convinced him to stick it out. Now he owns a start up small business and if I ever need some work done on my house for cheap, I know who to call.
Revenge doesn't pay folks, no matter what they did to you.
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8points
#29
You know how they say that the bullies end up working for you? I got a job at a local sport store over the summer to help pay uni fees- and my supervisor is the kid who bullies me in school. He liked to laugh about he was in a superior position... except that's his *career*, and just my summer job. I ended up quitting after that summer because it was so banal, and feel sorry that he'll be doing that for the rest of his life. Bullies get what they deserve- I can't imagine a worse punishment.
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7points
#30
A girl picked on me at my first camping trip as a girl scout. I ran away and hid behind a tent to cry.
Last week she sent me a friend request on Facebook. I ignored it.
Last week she sent me a friend request on Facebook. I ignored it.
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6points
#31
Yes.
Went to high school with a guy who was viciously antagonistic. Not a physical bully so much as just constantly mocking certain people who he perceived to be below him in the social hierarchy. Like, cruel mockery. Unending, constant, every second of every day. You just knew every time you passed him in the hallway you were going to hear the same [things], insults, etc.
Ten or so years later I pull in to my car dealership to get some service work done. The guy who comes out to greet me has a very familiar face. I wonder if it could be him. The name tag doesn't have his name on it, but the name it does have on it is something like "Buddy" or something like that, a nickname.
So, I'm walking to the desk trying to decide if it's him or not. Then I see it. The hand. He has a very obvious birth defect related to his hand, and now I'm certain it's him.
I don't even bother to bring it up. But I certainly savored ever moment of him calling me "sir" and offering me coffee and a free ride to work.
Went to high school with a guy who was viciously antagonistic. Not a physical bully so much as just constantly mocking certain people who he perceived to be below him in the social hierarchy. Like, cruel mockery. Unending, constant, every second of every day. You just knew every time you passed him in the hallway you were going to hear the same [things], insults, etc.
Ten or so years later I pull in to my car dealership to get some service work done. The guy who comes out to greet me has a very familiar face. I wonder if it could be him. The name tag doesn't have his name on it, but the name it does have on it is something like "Buddy" or something like that, a nickname.
So, I'm walking to the desk trying to decide if it's him or not. Then I see it. The hand. He has a very obvious birth defect related to his hand, and now I'm certain it's him.
I don't even bother to bring it up. But I certainly savored ever moment of him calling me "sir" and offering me coffee and a free ride to work.
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6points
#32
When I was little I was an absolute train wreck. Overweight, glasses, braces i.e. a chubby little target. When I was in First grade these 2 Eighth graders (Larry and whatever-the-other-guys-name-was) used to [harass] the hell out of me. The nuns were useless and ignored my broken stuff and general freaked out state no matter what I said.
Fast forward about 15 years and I'm with this group of people and who happens to be there? Larry. I sort of recognize him but now he's about 5'9" and maybe 160lbs. Certainly not the giant he was in the playground. Anyway I sort of steer the conversation to where are you from, where did you go to school etc and I can see the light bulb go on in his head. He's standing there staring at me. I should mention I'm now 6'4" and about 230lbs (minus the glasses and braces of course :P).
After a few really awkward seconds, the guy he was hanging out with says "Hey, Larry; isn't it really funny that you used to [harass] this dude and now he could snap you like a twig? That's pretty funny, right? I'd really like to see that!"
He said he was sorry. I said no worries.
Sorry that wasn't very exciting but you would have needed to see the look on Larry's face...
Fast forward about 15 years and I'm with this group of people and who happens to be there? Larry. I sort of recognize him but now he's about 5'9" and maybe 160lbs. Certainly not the giant he was in the playground. Anyway I sort of steer the conversation to where are you from, where did you go to school etc and I can see the light bulb go on in his head. He's standing there staring at me. I should mention I'm now 6'4" and about 230lbs (minus the glasses and braces of course :P).
After a few really awkward seconds, the guy he was hanging out with says "Hey, Larry; isn't it really funny that you used to [harass] this dude and now he could snap you like a twig? That's pretty funny, right? I'd really like to see that!"
He said he was sorry. I said no worries.
Sorry that wasn't very exciting but you would have needed to see the look on Larry's face...
6points
#33
One of the many bullies that picked on me in high school ended up dating my cousin a few years after college. He never put two and two together (me and my cousin have the same last names), so when we met again for the first time at a bar he looked pretty horrified.
After exchanging pleasantries for awhile - I honestly didn't really care about the bullying anymore - he took me aside and explained how deeply sorry he was and how he really loved my cousin. The man was practically begging for my approval. To be fair, he seemed like a reformed dude, so I kept reassuring him that it was all cool.
This should have given me a ton of satisfaction, but for some reason it didn't. Like I said, I just didn't care anymore. I honestly believe that I got over the traumatizing bullying I went through in high school once I got to college.
After exchanging pleasantries for awhile - I honestly didn't really care about the bullying anymore - he took me aside and explained how deeply sorry he was and how he really loved my cousin. The man was practically begging for my approval. To be fair, he seemed like a reformed dude, so I kept reassuring him that it was all cool.
This should have given me a ton of satisfaction, but for some reason it didn't. Like I said, I just didn't care anymore. I honestly believe that I got over the traumatizing bullying I went through in high school once I got to college.
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6points
#34
I went to a military school where bullying was literally everywhere.
One of the worst offenders was this huge, corn-fed linebacker the coach dubbed 'beast'. Beast was probably the biggest [jerk] alive on Earth at the time.
He would randomly walk through the halls of our dorms and just flat sucker punch whomever he wished. It was horribly common. And there wasn't anything anyone (or any group even) could do because he was 6'5", 250 lbs and solid muscle.
Anyway, about 6 months ago I caught a FB friend request from him. Astonished, I verified this was actually him and that he had the gall to 'friend' me. Mind you, I'm now a pretty big guy myself and he had morphed into a globular mess.
So I simply typed, "No thank you." and denied him.
One of the worst offenders was this huge, corn-fed linebacker the coach dubbed 'beast'. Beast was probably the biggest [jerk] alive on Earth at the time.
He would randomly walk through the halls of our dorms and just flat sucker punch whomever he wished. It was horribly common. And there wasn't anything anyone (or any group even) could do because he was 6'5", 250 lbs and solid muscle.
Anyway, about 6 months ago I caught a FB friend request from him. Astonished, I verified this was actually him and that he had the gall to 'friend' me. Mind you, I'm now a pretty big guy myself and he had morphed into a globular mess.
So I simply typed, "No thank you." and denied him.
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6points
#35
The most egregious bully from my childhood years and I parted ways after grade school and reunited in high school.
The first thing he did was apologize.
The first thing he did was apologize.
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6points
#36
A friend of mine was made fun of horribly in middle school for his nerdy looks. He moved away for the summer and the 9th grade year. He came back in 10th grade with contacts, a haircut, an acne free face, and a cool (retro) car. No one recognized him as the same kid they all mocked. His revenge? He slept with all the football players girlfriends.
TL;DR: revenge nooky ftw.
TL;DR: revenge nooky ftw.
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6points
#37
There was a kid named Ben that was a jerk to me from 7th grade to 11th. I was a very awkward looking young teenager that turned into the super hot girl at 16. Seriously, it was like out of a movie. This guy Ben made my life miserable for years, but by 11th grade his teasing was just kind of pathetic. Ben was in the upper crust of popular in highschool.
When I was about 20, I started dating a guy named John. John wouldve been way out of my league in HS, he was extremely popular. I used to watch from a distance but never had a chance til I was older and more confident. One day John and I were sitting at a park when Ben the bully showed up.
He looked at me with complete recognition but ignored me. He started gushing at my bf John. "Hey buddy, it's great to see you! How's it been?" John my bf just stared at him and in complete honesty said, "Do I know you?" Ben the bully got very flustered and started stammering, "Its me, Ben...don't you remember me?" John just shook his head and said no. Ben looked at me again in complete shock and walked away while I cracked up laughing at him. Quess he was never as cool as he thought.
When I was about 20, I started dating a guy named John. John wouldve been way out of my league in HS, he was extremely popular. I used to watch from a distance but never had a chance til I was older and more confident. One day John and I were sitting at a park when Ben the bully showed up.
He looked at me with complete recognition but ignored me. He started gushing at my bf John. "Hey buddy, it's great to see you! How's it been?" John my bf just stared at him and in complete honesty said, "Do I know you?" Ben the bully got very flustered and started stammering, "Its me, Ben...don't you remember me?" John just shook his head and said no. Ben looked at me again in complete shock and walked away while I cracked up laughing at him. Quess he was never as cool as he thought.
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6points
#38
My high school bully runs a sucessful landscaping business, is uber buff and has a smoking hot girlfriend. They own a condo together.
Meanwhile I`m single and have 36k in university debts. :(
How do I compete with that...
Meanwhile I`m single and have 36k in university debts. :(
How do I compete with that...
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5points
#39
I remember in Middle School and into HS I used to look down because I was afraid of looking at people to be rejected (yeah it was serious).
He just took my [Subway] sandwich order, and didn't once look up. Kind of funny, he knew it was me because I used my check card.
He just took my [Subway] sandwich order, and didn't once look up. Kind of funny, he knew it was me because I used my check card.
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5points
#40
I was bullied in elementry school and HS. Around the time I got glasses. Because of this there was this one guy I ended up bullying in HS. He was weaker and didn't really have any friends to help him. I never beat him up or anything, just scare him a little, let him think I was going to hurt him, maybe even chase him around. This was about 18 years ago.
If I ever had the chance I would certainly apologize to him. Having been bullied myself I knew how wrong it was. I just didn't want to be the lowest man on the totem pole. I've tried looking him up on Facebook, hoping to apologize, but he has one of those very common names that gives you a thousand results. I frequently think of him and hope he's lead a fulfilling life.
If you're out there Jason, I am sorry.
If I ever had the chance I would certainly apologize to him. Having been bullied myself I knew how wrong it was. I just didn't want to be the lowest man on the totem pole. I've tried looking him up on Facebook, hoping to apologize, but he has one of those very common names that gives you a thousand results. I frequently think of him and hope he's lead a fulfilling life.
If you're out there Jason, I am sorry.
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4points