20 people confess what makes them 'the villain' of someone else's story.
We all know about Main Character Syndrome, and let's be honest. Most of us have it.
(Except me. I'm special and don't even realize it.)
But while we're being the protagonist of our own story, can we simultaneously be the antogonist in another? Reddit user Hopeful-Translator70 wanted to know:
'Is it true that everyone is the villain in someone else's story? Who are you the villain for?'
And the internet was gracious enough to answer honestly.
1. The Tripster
2buckbill writes:
Probably a dude named Mark. He was extremely awkward while growing up in school. Like, the extreme end of awkward, but ultimately a nice guy. In one class that we had together in junior high I was seated in the front row.
Without thinking about (that part is all on me), I slumped in my chair, threw my legs out, and all while he was walking in. He tripped right over my legs, and thought that I did it on purpose. I didn't. He decided that we were enemies right then and there, though. And he wouldn't listen to any apology that I tried to make.
2. The Bridge Burner
innerlemons_ admits:
Most of the people I knew in high school and college before I learned to cope with my borderline personality disorder. (I still struggle with BPD, but I can control my outbursts better now.) I burned so many bridges for trivial reasons and I'm embarrassed to look back on it. Most people have years-long friendships from their school days but I really don't because I wrecked everything I touched.
3. The Bro Who Knew Too Much
patienceisfun2018 shares:
Probably my brother in law. He pushed my sister in law when they were dating and I always thought he was a total douchebag. During the period they were broken up, I told everybody how I always thought he was such a chode.
Of course, they ended up getting married and having kids, but still think he's a smarmy f*ck. Childishly never says hi or bye to me at family gatherings, but will to everyone else.
4. The Guilt-Ridden Apologist
BlueCatLaughing confesses (for real):
His name was Scott and it was 1983. I wish I could apologize and explain.
It's an ugly story that requires background.
In 1981, I was in a place called Elan School. It was not a good place. The staff insisted I'd done something wrong, for weeks. 'Insisted' is putting it lightly. But they abused me until I made a false confession against a new kid named Scott.
I had no choice but to come up with something but I was a dumb kid and didn't realize it'd lead to trouble for him. It's 40+ years of guilt over it.
5. The Landlord (enough said)
ledlin99 says:
One of tenants in the apartments I manage. When I call her out on the lease violations, I'm 'harassing' her. She thinks the rules don't apply to her.
6. The Sarcastic Sneak
From Fenick42:
Apparently my old co-worker who I got fired by sneakily telling lies about him to his boss behind his back to get him fired because I had it out for him.
It had nothing to do with the fact that he was placed on a performance plan due to not doing his work or meeting expectations for 6 months, having a conversation with HR and the West Coast Lead, then still refused to do his paperwork or ANY work while the boss wasn't there.
Now he sends me and any of my family members he can find on various social media sites nasty messages about what a horrible person I am and how he's homeless now because I got him fired. He also says I 'owe' him back pay for everything he's lost since he was fired.
7. The Banker
The ex friend that I loaned $600 to about 5 years ago must think I am so evil he has avoided me ever since.
8. The Oblivious Pledgeling
FlatulentDwarf writes:
In college, I joined a fraternity. There was a guy, J, who was a part of my pledge class. J was a chill dude, and I really thought highly of him.
One day senior year when we were drunk together, J confessed to me that he hated me our first 2 years in the fraternity. I both looked and shared quite a few mannerisms with the guy who his ex-gf had cheated on him with in HS.
I had beaten him out in the vote for pledge class VP, won as scholarship chair over him as our first official positions in the house and a girl he was crushing on freshman year had asked me to go with her to her sorority formal. J intentionally kept me at arms length and didn't want to know me well.
Eventually he got to know me better just due to shared space and was forced to confront his feelings and realized I wasn't a bad guy and overcame those feelings and we became 'real' friends in his mind. He had spent his first half of college hating me, and his second half of college feeling guilt over hating me, and the entire time I had no fucking clue.
9. The Drive and Dasher
VeryTightButtholes lives up to their screen name:
To make a long story short, before the days of Uber I was stranded about 20+ miles from home without much $$. Called a taxi, had him drop me off about 7 or 8 blocks from my house and then I just bailed and hauled ass home, ditching the fare. Poor guy just trying to make a living and I had him drive 20 miles out of his way for not so much as a penny. Still feel bad about that one.
10. If Batman Stole Girlfriends
From idriveadodgestratus1, with a not-so-heavy heart:
When my now wife and I were first dating, and still dating other people, I unintentionally thwarted another dude trying to date her. She had AAA, and I had car trouble. She canceled a date with him to come help me with my car.
This was the second time she canceled on him to be with me for what was a real reason. She wasn't trying to be mean. But he did give after that.
Robin - sorry dude. But not that sorry.
11. When Hall Moniters Grow Up
CthulusAnalFissure writes:
I'm a safety inspector. I'm pretty sure the internal affairs office gets invited to more Christmas parties than me.
12. The Boss B*tch
badass_panda graciously admits:
I'm an executive, so... gotta be the villain for at least a few of my current and former employees. I think I'm a good boss, I do well in our anonymous employee surveys, I fight hard to get my people paid well, appreciated appropriately, to get their work prioritized and recognized, etc.
But I've had to fire people, I've had to demote people, I've had to do organization restructuring, cut projects people cared about, and so on and so forth. Part of the job is taking accountability for your decisions, I'm sure there are folks who see me in a negative light, and I'm sure some of them are probably justified to do so.
13. The Bumper Sticker Warrior
Victoronomy says:
I'm a villain to the conservative ass hat who tried to run me off the road because of a bumper sticker that seems to have hurt their feelings.
14. Gramma's Favorite
srcorvettez06 shares the family tea:
My aunt and uncle. I was the executor of my grandmother’s estate. A year before she passed my aunt planned a day out shopping with my grandma but no call/no showed. Turns out my aunt was visiting one of her son’s friends in prison and forgot. There were many small issues but that was the tipping point.
A week after that I took my grandma to our lawyer to have the will changed. Instead of 50% my aunt received an even $20k. $1000 went to each grand child except for me. I wanted and got nothing. My mom received about $250k after I settled the estate.
My aunt tells everyone who will listen that I took advantage of my grandma and conspired with my mom to screw her out of ‘a million’. The estate was worth less than $300k. I haven’t seen or spoken to anyone from that side of the family since gramma's passing. I’m the villain in their story.
15. The Collector
MR1120 writes:
Probably quite a few people. I work in mortgage collections, and put homes up for foreclosure for a living. There's likely several people that see me as their personal villain.
16. The Honest Frat Guy
Zallarion recounts:
I was kicked out of my fraternity due to mental problems I was struggling with after my fathers death. One of the guys assaulted a girl (and founder of our student club) which he told us about - when she pressed charges I supported with my testimony.
He was found guilty as a mild sex offender, but also got mostly a slap on the wrist and managed to keep it quiet. For some reason I get a lot of dirty looks now from everybody that used to affiliate with my old fraternity.
17. The Litigator of Many Faces
HalfNatty half-brags:
I’m a litigation attorney. I’m the villain in the story of every opposing counsel and party whose case I’m involved in. And then when the legal bills come due, I somehow become the villain in my own clients’ story too. Then I go home and I see my son, wife and dog, and I’m a hero again.
18. The Kid Who Should Have Skipped School
GoBSAGo shares:
I almost killed an entire family when I came to middle school really sick. Got a classmate sick, she gave it to her parents, they all ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. Didn’t find out I’m the worst person in her life until years later.
19. Some Scarlet Letter BS
mgentry999 remembers:
In Highschool probably 22 years ago I had sex with a guy. I decided after that it had been a mistake. I was open and honest. I got insulted, harassed for years. He accused me for years of making him unable to have an erection. I’ve been told by people who still know him that he still hates me.
20. The Party Pooper
bexaropal bravely recounts:
Ex best friend of 10 years. We had our ups and downs. The true last straw for us was when I opted to skip her annual Christmas party to attend my sister in law's baby shower. Granted, it was a second shower, but I wanted to be there for all of them.
I took responsibility for flaking last minute (I’d cancelled about 6 hours before). My friend took great offense to this and all hell broke loose. The worst fight we ever had — all over a missed party.
It seems likely that everyone is a villain to somebody, even you.
So, the question is: is that somebody right?