It sounds like the specific issue you had at work is really irrelevant, it's just the excuse this douchebag used to get in your face and make you look bad in front of your coworkers and superiors. Everyone saying not to get mad is correct, let this wave flow right over you and keep swimming.
I was in a very similar situation. A guy on my level and his boss had it out for me, picked on me for some minor procedural, time-wasting bullshit, called me out in front of everyone in the office and made me look like an asshole. I stewed for about 24 hours over this bullshit and chose the nuclear option, came in the next morning and basically blew the entire office up. It was awesome ripping these guys new assholes, making them look like petty douchebags and getting everyone in the place so riled up the executives had to come in and restore order.
But I didn't think things through at all. I made serious, powerful enemies who were able to completely fuck me over and I got fired within a few weeks. My mistake was believing that production trumps personality. In a strictly logical world it does but that's not how the office game works. The reality is I looked like an unstable, angry, troublemaker who needed to be replaced ASAP. If I had to do it all over again I would be much more calm, subtle and devious instead of letting them push my buttons and engineer my own exit from the company.
Don't concern yourself with retaliation. Sure, some dick threw egg on your face and made you look like an idiot, in the long run that will only tighten up your office game. He's trying to take the target off his back and put it on yours. Give him enough rope and he will eventually hang himself.
Kill this guy with kindness, sit back and enjoy watching him self destruct.
I was in a very similar situation. A guy on my level and his boss had it out for me, picked on me for some minor procedural, time-wasting bullshit, called me out in front of everyone in the office and made me look like an asshole. I stewed for about 24 hours over this bullshit and chose the nuclear option, came in the next morning and basically blew the entire office up. It was awesome ripping these guys new assholes, making them look like petty douchebags and getting everyone in the place so riled up the executives had to come in and restore order.
But I didn't think things through at all. I made serious, powerful enemies who were able to completely fuck me over and I got fired within a few weeks. My mistake was believing that production trumps personality. In a strictly logical world it does but that's not how the office game works. The reality is I looked like an unstable, angry, troublemaker who needed to be replaced ASAP. If I had to do it all over again I would be much more calm, subtle and devious instead of letting them push my buttons and engineer my own exit from the company.
Don't concern yourself with retaliation. Sure, some dick threw egg on your face and made you look like an idiot, in the long run that will only tighten up your office game. He's trying to take the target off his back and put it on yours. Give him enough rope and he will eventually hang himself.
Kill this guy with kindness, sit back and enjoy watching him self destruct.