AITA Stories

Band Leader Bullied Me 20 Years Ago—Then Applied to Work for My Dad

📅 November 30, 2025 👁️ 11 views ⏱️ 6 min read

Picture this: you’re 20 years old, fresh out of high school, and you just landed your first big break with a buzzing local band about to go on tour. Now fast-forward two decades, and that same toxic band leader who made your life hell is unknowingly asking your father for a job reference. Buckle up, because this story of cosmic justice will restore your faith in karma.

This wild tale of long-delayed revenge comes to us from Reddit’s r/pettyrevenge community, where a user shared how they got the ultimate payback against a narcissistic bully—without even trying.

Our storyteller was just a starry-eyed kid when they stumbled across what seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. A local band with serious buzz had just recorded an incredible album and was gearing up for their first major tour. When they asked our protagonist to join, it felt like a dream come true.

But here’s where the red flags started waving—flags that our young musician was too inexperienced to recognize. The singer was the only original member left from the band that recorded that amazing album. Everyone else had mysteriously “quit.” At 30 years old, this guy seemed like a seasoned industry veteran to our 20-year-old protagonist. Little did they know, they were about to learn why everyone else had run for the hills.

The rehearsal month went smoothly enough. Our storyteller was pumped, probably practicing their stage moves in the mirror and imagining packed venues. Then came tour day—the moment everything went sideways.

The second that van door slammed shut, Dr. Jekyll became Mr. Hyde. The “experienced band leader” transformed into what our storyteller describes as “the most narcissistic asshole I’d ever met.” And remember, this kid was trapped in a van with this monster for two weeks straight.

Can you even imagine? You’re living your dream, then suddenly you’re stuck in a mobile nightmare with someone who’s psychologically torturing you daily. The abuse wasn’t just private either—this guy was making “mean disparaging comments” right there on stage, humiliating his bandmate in front of audiences.

The most heartbreaking moment came at the tour’s final stop in our protagonist’s hometown. Picture walking into your childhood home after two weeks of relentless bullying, seeing your parents’ faces, and just completely breaking down. That’s exactly what happened—they burst into tears the moment their parents hugged them. Emotionally destroyed doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Unsurprisingly, our storyteller quit the very next day after returning home. Who wouldn’t? But here’s where this story gets absolutely delicious.

Twenty years passed. Twenty. Whole. Years.

The band predictably fizzled out—shocking absolutely no one. When you’re a toxic leader who drives away every talented person around you, failure is pretty much inevitable. By this point, the band had cycled through about 20 ex-members (seriously, how do you not see the pattern there?). Our former singer had finally thrown in the towel on his music “career” and was apparently looking for regular employment.

Now here comes the plot twist that’s so perfect, it almost seems too good to be true.

This washed-up musician decides to apply for a job at a large business. He drops off his resume, probably thinking he’s just another applicant in the pile. But fate had other plans. That resume landed on the desk of the general manager—who happened to be our protagonist’s father.

Dad vaguely recognized the name (probably from hearing about his child’s traumatic tour experience two decades earlier) and did what any reasonable person would do: he called his kid to ask about this applicant.

And our storyteller? They were completely honest about their experience with this person. After 20 years, they finally got to give their real opinion of this toxic individual to someone who actually had the power to do something about it.

The result? No job for Mr. Narcissistic Band Leader.

The Reddit community absolutely loved this story, with one commenter perfectly capturing what many were thinking: “Sounds kinda like some of the other (former) band members could have made a decent band together without the asshat.” Honestly, they’re probably right—imagine the talent this guy drove away over the years.

What makes this story so satisfying isn’t just the revenge aspect—it’s the perfect illustration of how toxic behavior eventually catches up with you. This guy spent decades burning bridges, bullying bandmates, and being generally awful to work with. Those 20 ex-band members? They’re 20 people out there who know exactly what kind of person he really is.

In today’s interconnected world, your reputation follows you everywhere. That young musician you traumatized? Their parent might end up being your potential boss. The coworker you threw under the bus? They might be interviewing you at their new company next year. The bridges you burn don’t just disappear—they leave you stranded on an island of your own making.

Some might argue that holding a grudge for 20 years is excessive, but let’s be real here. Our storyteller didn’t go hunting for revenge—it literally fell into their lap. They were simply honest when asked for their professional opinion about someone they’d worked with. That’s not petty revenge; that’s just consequences.

Plus, if this guy was truly toxic enough to drive away 20 band members over the years, he probably hadn’t changed much. Our protagonist might have actually saved that company from hiring a problematic employee.

The most beautiful part? The former band leader probably has no idea why he didn’t get the job. He’s out there somewhere, maybe still wondering what went wrong, completely oblivious to the fact that his past finally caught up with him.

So here’s the question that’s probably burning in your mind: Was our storyteller right to be honest about their experience, or should they have let bygones be bygones after two decades? And more importantly—what would you have done in their shoes?