Some people handle life’s setbacks with grace, while others find more… vindictive solutions.

When one man’s former carpool buddy suddenly went cold, he didn’t just accept the silent treatment — he made sure the law had something to say about it too.

You’ll want to read on for this one!

Don’t Ignore My Dad

My dad was a great guy — pretty laid back but sharp-witted. He took everything in stride until you crossed him.

This is a tale about one of the poor souls who did.

Two coworkers lived across the street from one another, and for a while, their relationship was great.

My dad lived across the street from a guy who worked in the same mill as him, so the guy would give Dad a ride to and from work. He also came over when there was nothing else going on — drank Dad’s beer, ate Dad’s snacks, what have you.

But one day, Dad was let go from the job.

Anyway, Dad quite loudly questioned a company policy that disregarded a state holiday, and they canned him. Dad was annoyed but figured that’s how things work sometimes and took the unemployment comp happily.

Right off the bat, his buddy acted strangely about the whole thing.

He went and informed the guy that he wouldn’t need a ride that afternoon because he had been sacked. The guy made a weird face and said that was fine. Dad made a mental note of the weird look and went home to start his “vacation.”

Then came the avoidance.

A few days later, Dad was outside playing with my nephew when the guy got home. Dad gave him a friendly wave. It was not returned. In fact, the guy didn’t even look in his direction.

Dad figured maybe something else had happened at work that day and blew it off as nothing. But the next day, the guy didn’t wave again. He just locked his car up and hurried into his house like Dad wasn’t even there.

Before long, it was clear this behavior wasn’t a one-time thing.

The day after that, Dad called to him and was once again ignored.

Now, Dad was starting to get pretty miffed. Why was this guy being such a jerk now? Because they didn’t work at the same place anymore? That was dumb.

After a few more days of this, Dad actually went up to his car and tried to talk to him, but the guy still ignored him.

So now Dad is really ticked.

With the numerous blow-offs wearing on his mind, Dad came up with his revenge.

You see, Dad was a drinker. Not a violent, mean drinker — just a daily beer-drinking kind of guy. And so was the guy across the street.

Turns out, Dad had quite a bit of dirt on his ex-buddy.

So much so that he always had a few beers on the way to work. At seven in the morning. While driving.

Dad never said anything because he grew up during a time when you could drink a bottle of whiskey while driving and the only thing someone would say to you was, “Just don’t throw it out the window.” But he was definitely going to say something now.

So he figured now was the time to bring this all to light.

About an hour before the guy left for work, Dad called the non-emergency police line.

He told them there would be someone leaving their house at five to seven, not only with a buzz on but with a beer in their lap while driving.

He told them where he was leaving from and what direction he was going in. The dispatcher asked him if he was serious, and Dad said (and I quote), “Like cancer.”

Then he decided to sit back and watch it all unfold.

At ten to seven, Dad sat at the kitchen table, waiting to see if anything would come of his little tip.

He saw the guy come out of his house with a few beers, right on time. He heard the car start up, saw him pull out of his parking space… and then heard a siren whoop twice.

Dad smiled and went out on the front stoop to watch the show. And it was a pretty good one, too.

Turns out, the revenge was even more effective than Dad ever imagined.

Apparently, the guy had been busted for DUI a few times, so he was instantly arrested, the car was impounded, and Dad never saw him again.

One time, when he was recounting the story to my sister’s friend, I laughed and said, “Dad, you’re a snitch!”

He looked over at me, shrugged, and said, “He should have just said ‘hi’.”

Bet the guy wishes he would have now!

Reddit doesn’t seem to be buying this dad’s “heroic” act.

This commenter doesn’t seem to think the punishment fits the crime.

Perhaps one looks at their relatives through rose-colored lenses.

This user suspects the dad in this story isn’t nearly as innocent as he’s made out to be.

By the time his neighbor finally acknowledged him, it was through the window of a police cruiser.

Ignoring a former buddy is one thing, but ignoring the law is another.

If you liked that post, check this one about a guy who got revenge on his condo by making his own Christmas light rules.