Woman's Way of Getting Revenge on Boyfriend's Neighbor Cheered

A woman's "exquisite" revenge on her boyfriend's rude and aggressive neighbor has the internet applauding.

Sharing her story with Reddit's Petty Revenge forum, user u/thedornisharecrazy explained that her boyfriend lived in his previous apartment for three years and had no prior issues with the neighbor.

The night before her boyfriend was due to move out, she came over to help him pack up his things. Distracted and with her hands full, she accidentally let the front door bang shut.

"This neighbor knocks on the door and asks why we 'always slam the door,'" she wrote.

"If you let this door close by just letting go of the handle, without pushing it at all, the door does shut pretty heavily."

Her boyfriend apologized, but the neighbor was drunk and enraged. He demanded an answer, which escalated into screaming insults and threats.

"[He called] my bf a 'p****' for not wanting to fight him," she said. "He proceeded to try and beat down the door, I was honestly scared to leave at that point."

After an hour, the couple called the building's security team. After they left, his frightening behavior continued.

"When he finally gave up after over two hours, he stole my partner's doormat on his way back inside," she said.

As her boyfriend was moving out the next day, the Redditor saw no reason not to exact revenge on the neighbor.

Using the man's address, she managed to track down his name. She signed him up for every free "snail mail" service she could think of, including adult magazine subscriptions and free government pamphlets on everything from STDs to forest fires.

She also sent him alcohol recovery program information and booked a visit with a group of Jehovah's Witnesses. Finally, she anonymously sent him a trophy inscribed with "1# D*******."

"I refrained from sending a glitter bomb only because I want him to keep opening his mail, just in case I can think of anything else to do," she said.

According to Home.com, 36 percent of Americans have argued with a neighbor, with a quarter reporting a long-running feud with someone living close by.

If you're quarreling with a neighbor, psychotherapist and social worker Amy Morin recommends revisiting the core of the issue. Is your neighbor's behavior really that bad? Or are your expectations just unreasonable?

"Maybe you feel annoyed by some of their habits, but they aren't necessarily wrong, they just do things differently," she told Newsweek.

Although thedornisharecrazy's prank was hilarious, Morin recommends having a conversation with your neighbor to see if you can find a compromise instead of going to extremes or moving away. That is, assuming your neighbor is a reasonable person.

"Don't resort to unhealthy tactics to seek revenge or force your neighbor to change," she said.

"The last thing you want to do is retaliate as that will only make the situation worse."

However, there is no excuse for threats or violence, which require getting the landlord or authorities involved.

Reddit users praised thedornisharecrazy's ingenuity, with the post receiving almost 7,000 upvotes.

"Revenge served cold. Brava," said Cfwydirk.

"This is gold!" agreed Affectionate_Loss_89.

"Exquisite! Well executed my dear," wrote Poppy-Persephone.

Ezee2usewastaken suggested the Redditor "cut his door mat into pieces and mail them one by one each month back to him."

A user called 100110100110101 said: "Sign him up for Scientology pamphlets! They never leave you alone."

"Timeshare presentations too," added and_hankmardoukis.

"Don't send anything to him for months. Let him believe it's over," commented wirette. "Leave him long enough for him to relax... then send him the glitter bomb."

Newsweek reached out to u/thedornisharecrazy for comment via Reddit. We couldn't verify the details of the case.

Correction 05/24/23,11:30 a.m. ET: This article previously described Amy Morin as a "former social worker."

Do you have a dispute with your neighbor? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.