What do you do when your neighbor is the Karen of all Karens? In true Count of Monte Cristo fashion, you plot a decade-long revenge scheme, of course! You wait and get back at your antagonist with composure and dignity. And that is almost exactly what the hero of our story did.

A man on Reddit under the username Zenmedic recounted his 10-year-long conflict with an elderly neighbor who made his life a living nightmare. The internet usually loves it when people take petty revenge on annoying neighbors, and this time is no exception. Our protagonist played the long game and proved karma exists.

Bored Panda got in touch with Zenmedic and he was kind enough to tell us how he feels about the whole ordeal around 20 years later. Find our short interview with him below!

You can’t choose your neighbors, but you can choose what kind of neighbor you will be

Image credits: Brandon Nickerson (not the actual photo)

This man’s story of a decade-long conflict with his neighbor is the perfect example of playing the long game and proving karma exists

Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)

Image credits: furkanfdemir (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)

Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Zenmedic

Image credits: Andrew Nee (not the actual photo)

The author of this post tells us how he dealt with the emotional burden that comes with having such a problematic neighbor

Dealing with difficult neighbors can be emotionally draining. Zenmedic tells Bored Panda how he dealt with the constant pestering. “For the most part, I just came to ignore it,” the redditor admits. “She wasn’t much of a ‘going out’ person and had her usual routines, so I could go months without actually seeing or interacting with her.”

The man also had to make some compromises: “I learned to embrace earlier mornings for the days I couldn’t sleep through the TV. I’d go to the gym or put on some headphones and read. It wasn’t ideal, but I did what I could.”

Having a job where he would be away for 2 or 3 weeks at a time helped as well. That diminished the constant terror to simple inconvenience and annoyance. “Kind of like living near a railway, it’s always there so it just becomes a normal part of life,” the redditor says.

When the elderly lady was outright rude to him, Zenmedic says he just put on his professional face. “Polite but firm,” the redditor clarifies. “Being a jerk would only end badly for me and I valued my home and didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it.”

Image credits: Ivan Samkov (not the actual photo)

The redditor gives some tips for people who may find themselves in a similar situation

Zenmedic says that the best way to deal with bothersome neighbors is to document what’s happening. His story happened before everyone owned a smartphone, so recording video or audio evidence wasn’t as easy. “Take pictures, capture video (within the law, of course), and keep notes,” the man advises.

“My situation was especially challenging because of the 24 total units on both sides of the building, 15 of them had been occupied by the original owners. These people had been neighbors for close to 30 years at that time and I was the ‘outsider’.”

“Kindness is also your friend,” the redditor reminds us. “If you are consistently kind to others, people remember. False accusations will seem out of character and be less likely to go anywhere.”

We all could benefit from being nicer and kinder to each other in general

If the world were perfect, we’d all adhere to the golden rule “Treat others the way you’d want to be treated.” But it’s hard to be kind to those who are mean to us. Zenmedic says compassion is very important, even in instances like this. “Holding ill will and anger only hurts the one that holds it,” he tells Bored Panda. “I don’t really mind if someone doesn’t like me, there are people that I don’t like, and that’s normal human social behavior.”

The redditor speculates that the resentment from his former neighbor might have come from her attachment to the previous owners of the apartment. “[They] were her friends and maybe she thought I was responsible for them leaving in some way. I would have preferred mutual avoidance as a strategy, but I think her actions were driven by misguided and misdirected anger rather than indiscriminate malice,” Zenmedic admits.

Image credits: Andres Ayrton (not the actual photo)

You can learn a life lesson even from unpleasant experiences, says the redditor

Zenmedic quotes Wil Wheaton as the inspiration for his life motto. “Don’t be a dick,” he says simply. “I found myself in a pretty niche situation, but perseverance and adaptation build great resiliency. I got really good at not sweating the petty things and practicing mindful kindness.”

“As I find myself getting older, it’s also a really good reminder of how not to be,” the redditor contemplates. “There are times when I think ‘Kids these days,’ but I also remember that I was there too. I get to decide if I will be a positive or negative force in the world and what kind of legacy I leave.”

“Will I be known as a kind and caring person who supports the next generations or will somebody tell the world about my misdeeds on Reddit (or whatever exists 30 years from now)?”
The redditor feels blessed for what he has now, regardless of what life has thrown at him over the years. “I consider myself to be incredibly fortunate that I have always had a roof over my head, regardless of the inconveniences and annoyances.”

He also feels very passionate about helping those in need: “There are many others out there that do not have this basic necessity. If reading this has inspired or entertained you, consider supporting an organization near you that helps those in need,” Zenmedic graciously encourages us and our readers.

OP gave us more interesting facts about the story and other behind-the-scenes information

Commenters praised OP’s patience and ability to deal with such a difficult neighbor with composure

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