I recently got a real treat when my abusive boss of six years quit to start a new job.
I spent two years of tolerating his narcissistic, manipulative attitude during which time he had told me he was going to be acting as my mentor, but for which I got very little actual mentoring. Still, I was desperate for work and it was a promising opportunity, so I stuck it out.
A week into his last two weeks he says, “I'm not going to be able to help you professionally.” Translation: don't ask for a referral.
I started waking up to every single instance of abuse I had endured, and it threw me into a tailspin which I finally started to correct on his last day.
He turned to shake my hand out the door. Diplomatically I took his and said, “Thanks for the job!” He responded, “Good luck staying sane.”
He was thinking he got one last stab in. I'm sure he was always imagining me struggling with my mental health, but he could never understand just how well I saw him and his addictions and his antisocial behavior covering up all his deep insecurities.
Without a pause I responded, “Same to you!” with a big smile.
I've never seen such a look of terror on a grown man's face. I was pleasantly shocked to realize that sarcastic remark was a bigger threat to him than it was to me.
I will never forget that day… the day I finally had a good comeback.