Revenge often feels empty, strangely. Because justice would be you travel back in time and get the job you deserved, which isn't really possible. Anything else, is by definition imperfect. And not nearly as satisfying. But then, as the Greeks had understood perfectly by using the laurel wreath as its symbol, victory is somehow empty, too.

warm apple pie.

Kinka chalky.

The tears of lost and fearful children.
*yum* *yum* *yum*

Wilder, they say that living well is the best revenge, and that is what you did. Other than keep trying hard at your job, you did nothing to bring about this person's misfortune, and eventually, things worked out.

I can see where you feel conflicted, but, the way you report it, you did nothing dishonorably, and I would not use "revenge" here. . .

Congratulations, and a possible promotion, and for being a compassionate human being. . .not in that order.

Obviously I don't have the whole story, but I would think that in an organization where senior management promotes an underqualified person, starts a review process of her behind her back, and fires her while she's on maternity leave, the underqualified manager may not really be the most dysfunctional part of what's going on.

So this may be less "revenge" and more "warning" (not "warning that you did something wrong" but "warning that you're in a fucked-up company"). Which tastes like red hots covered in dijon mustard, and can sting.

I was in a somewhat similar situation with an incredibly bad boss who eventually got fired (but I didn't get her position) and I felt vindicated but it took a long time after she left to get out from under the weight of her negativity. I think it was a slow rebound but one day this year I looked around and realized how much happier I am.

I don't know what it tastes like, but the Klingons tell us it's a dish best served cold.
And it is very cold...in space.

Okay, actually, funny revenge story here. I was a theater geek back in the day and you may or may not know that I grew up in the same town as Neil Patrick Harris, who's about 8 years younger than I. He and I were both in school plays, and then later went on to the local community theater.

The last play he ever did for the group was right after he'd filmed "Clara's Heart" and right before he moved to Albuquerque. I can't remember the name of the play, but my character was an ... eccentric ... Broadway director, and he played the precocious son of a playwright.

One of things that was supposed to demonstrate I was eccentric was to be that I was always smoking, and that I'd hold the cigarette inbetween my middle and ring finger. I couldn't do it. For whatever reason, I just could not do it. My fingers would jitter, or I'd drop the smoke, and it quickly became apparent that it wasn't going to work. So we decided that we'd change the script, make me an ex-smoker, and to satisfy my oral cravings, I'd always have a Tootsie Pop in my mouth.

Come curtain call, I'd come out, unwrap a fresh Pop, put it in my mouth, and take my bow. Then I'd throw one to someone in the audience. Lotsa laffs. Then about 1/2 way into the production Neil decided to steal my thunder (he took his bow right before mine) and one night he grabbed the Pop out of my hand and put it in his mouth and then he threw one to the audience. Much bigger laffs and applause from the audience. The precocious little shit was already stealing the show, and this little stunt annoyed me. A lot.

So, closing night, I made sure that my curtain call Pop was a red one. I unwrapped it and soaked that fucker in Tabasco for the entire show (you know how a lot of Tootsie Pops have a crack that sometimes leads to the center? I made sure this one was one of those, so the Tabasco soaked way in) then right before curtain call carefully dried and re-wrapped it.

Right before Neil put the thing in his mouth I could tell he was smelling something odd, but it was too late. The kid coughed and spluttered and choked and got red in the face, and it was glorious. GLORRRRRRRIIIIIIIIOUSSSSSSSSS!

So, for me, revenge tastes like a red Tabasco-soaked Tootsie Pop. And a Bacon Number of 3.

Hang on, was it the manager on maternity leave, or the junior person who got promoted over you? Just so I can get it straight in my head.

@gaspode: I think it's both.

After I left DumbCo, I heard from one of my former cubemates (he was right over the wall from me) that everyone was still grumbling about the company and that many people wished that they could quit their jobs and find new ones as quickly as I did.

And I've been hearing reports that the two anime cons I used to staff for are having staff-retention problems, AND someone else I worked with who is now the head of another con wanted to get me to be a member of his staff because I come highly recommended.

So you know what it tastes like? Delicious, delicious schadenfreude.

I'm with occhiblu on this. Seems like the incompetence doesn't stop with your (former) manager. And finding reasons to fire someone on maternity leave is an old game.

What occhiblu said. Both you and the person promoted above you were put into exceptionally shitty positions by a managerial fuckup and the result is that you missed a deserved promotion and your co-worker has to deal with a newborn and a search for a new job. That's a shit sandwich all around and, if I were in your position, I'd cultivate references from the people in your organization who recognize your worth and look for another job.

For me, revenge tastes like saying, "You know what? That's not my problem anymore and I'm getting on with my life."

Matteo, beautifully put!
Occhi, you're completely correct, this person was "side-ways" promoted, if you know what I mean through most of the departments in our organisation because no-one wanted to bite the bullet before it got to this stage. It's one of those jobs where the conditions are excellent but you cannot get rid of deadwood. That seems to be changing now.

Gaspode, the Head of our team was terminated, my problem manager. The promotion last year was creating a new structure of regional sector leads (the job I applied for). The junior person became regional sector lead for my region. But now that she is gone all the management roles in the team are being re-advertised.

WolfDaddy, I howled!

Oh, I realise from Occhi & Gaspode's comment that I was unclear, the junior person promoted over me is still happy and safe in her job, although acting up to a sector lead role came to an end this month.

The Head of our team (and the person who went on mat leave)is the dysfunctional one, our team grew from 3 to 16 in 3 years and so a new tier of management had to be put it. I went for a sector lead role and wasn't successful. These were 12 month trials to see if you could do your work and manage part of the team at the same time.

My brother said that his rise up the ranks in the Marines was due to his intentionally being the biggest pain in the ass. They would promote him to get him out of their command.

He, by the way, is an expert in revenge. It usually involves corrosive chemicals, explosives, locks and chains, or firearms.

*Makes note not to mess with stickycarpet's brother. And maybe hire him to mess with someone else for me. *