The Ultimate Mother-in-Law Showdown: How One Man Delivered Petty Revenge on a Tractor
Every family has their stories. Some are wholesome tales of togetherness, others are the stuff of reality TV drama. But every so often, you stumble across a family saga so perfectly petty, so deliciously spiteful, that you just have to sit back, grab the popcorn, and marvel at the creativity involved. Today’s story, straight from the annals of Reddit’s r/PettyRevenge, is just that—a masterclass in how to give someone exactly what they asked for, and not a bit more.
Meet u/All_fowl, a self-proclaimed sufferer of the world’s most narcissistic mother-in-law. If you’ve ever had a family member whose presence darkens a room faster than a solar eclipse, you’ll relate. This is a story of lamp-based priorities, tractor-based inheritance, and a 2 a.m. act of revenge that would make even the pettiest among us proud.
When Family Heirlooms Become Weapons
Let’s set the scene: our hero and his wife, after purchasing a picturesque upstate New York cabin, inherit all its contents—tools, sheds, and two tractors—courtesy of a disinterested uncle. Enter the mother-in-law, who, after years of neglecting her grandchildren (unless there’s a lamp involved), suddenly claims ownership of half the shed’s contents and the crappiest tractor, citing inheritance from her late brother.
You know how some folks cling to “sentimental” items they’ll never use, just to make your life harder? That’s the kind of energy we’re dealing with here. Our narrator tries reason, offers to sell the tractor and hand over the cash, but no—she wants her stuff, and she wants it on her terms. Threats of lawsuits fly, family tensions simmer, and the stage is set for a showdown.
The Midnight Tractor Express
Here’s where the story shifts from family drama to covert operation. Knowing that the only way to move forward—literally—is to move the tractor out, our protagonist hatches a plan worthy of a heist movie. Under the cover of darkness, while his family sleeps, he loads the dead tractor, mystery tools, chainsaws, and a 300-pound crate onto a trailer. At 2 a.m., he’s off on a two-and-a-half-hour journey to Long Island, grinning like a man possessed by the spirit of Petty Revenge itself.
Picture it: a man silently winching a dead tractor off a trailer in a quiet, upscale neighborhood. No one calls the cops. No one bats an eye. He stacks the loot next to his mother-in-law’s car and vanishes into the night, leaving nothing but a dolly-less 300-pound crate as his calling card.
Breakfast of Champions (and Villains)
What makes this tale so delightful is the attention to detail. After his nighttime escapade, our hero stops for bagels and donuts, returning home with the nonchalance of a dad who just popped out for coffee. The anticipation builds—what chaos will the morning bring? When the inevitable call from “Black Hole” (his affectionate nickname for the MIL) comes, he delivers the punchline: “You wanted your tractor, you got it.” Click.
But wait, there’s more! The mother-in-law calls the police, who, upon hearing the saga, quickly realize they’re dealing with someone who’s less “victim of a crime” and more “center of the universe.” With no storage agreement and no real crime, the officer bows out, leaving the tractor in situ and the mother-in-law fuming.
The Sweet Silence of Victory
The best revenge, as they say, is living well—and in this case, living six months without a call from the family’s black hole of misery. Our hero’s wife, initially panicked, ends up laughing at the lengths her husband went to deliver exactly what was demanded, with a side of poetic justice.
There’s something cathartic about reading tales like this—where the villain is undone not by malice, but by their own unreasonable demands. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to handle toxic family dynamics is to give people exactly what they want, on terms so literal they can’t possibly complain (even if they try).
Join the Conversation
Have you ever delivered the ultimate petty revenge? Or maybe you’ve been on the receiving end of a family member’s wild demands? Share your stories in the comments below—let’s swap tales of creative justice! And if you enjoyed this saga, check out the original post on Reddit and give u/All_fowl a virtual high five for his dedication to the art of pettiness.
Because sometimes, the only thing more satisfying than revenge is the story you get to tell afterward.
Original Reddit Post: You want it? No problem