Tell me about a weird experience you have had...(not paranormal)

The survivor thread got me thinking about my youth and I remembered a kind of odd experience I had.

I lived in a small town and had this idea that I was going to grow up and be "sophisticated".  The town was a tourist town and so we often had European visitors and I decided I was going to model myself after Europeans.  I really had no idea what that meant but one idea I had was that a European would not expect to sit at a huge table by themselves.  That they would, as a single person in a restaurant would sit with other singles.  Now, I don't know if this is true or not.  But when I was 17 this is how I thought it worked in Europe.

So one day I was at my favorite restaurant.  It was a tiny place and very popular so you always had to wait for a table.  When It was my turn they seated me at a table big enough for 4 people.  I told the waitress to seat other singles with me.  It made practical sense and it was "European".  lol

Well after a few minutes she brought a young man to the table.  Young - but maybe close to 30.  He was no one I was interested in talking to.  I had a book and sat there reading.  I told him that I was just sharing table space and thank you very much I was not interested in talking.

I paid my bill and left.  I did not learn his name, or why he was in my town.  I did not care and never gave any impression that I did.  I was actually quite rude.

Never the less a few days later this man, whom I did not even remember, stops me on the street and acts as though we were old friends.  I just brushed him off and went on my way and never thought about it again.

Flash forward a year later and again a strange man stops me on the street and acts like we are old friends and maybe even lovers.  This guy was really creepy and I was a little worried about it.  I had no idea at all who he was.  But then he reminded me about the restaurant.  It was a nothing moment in my life, but to him it had been some odd prelude to romance.  So I explained to him that the restaurant meant nothing and to not read anything into it.  He seemed hurt but I just continued on my way. 

Flash forward another year (yes this is a real true story) and this man, by now I recognized him, found me working in a restaurant.  He was very insistent that we meant something to each other.  I was cruel and told him off.  But after I got off work and started walking home I realized that this man was following me. 

I was not too worried really - this guy, creepy or not, was only about 5 feet tall and I was pretty sure I could take him, even though I am also small.  But anyway,  after a few blocks he started trying to get my attention.  Once again I told him I was not interested and to leave me alone.  But he did not get it and so I told him I was a lesbian.  He did not believe that either and followed me right up to my door.  Thankfully my roommate was home and I walked in the door and planted a big juicy kiss on her lips.  She and I were really strangers living together.  It is to her credit that she accepted this kiss without even blinking. Especially because I had never told her about him.  He was, after all, no one I ever thought about.  No reason to tell the roommate about someone you did not even remember.

My stalker finally got the message after my roommate explained we were lovers.  I never saw him again. 

wow that IS weird. you are lucky you had such a street savvy roommate.

i had a peeping tom problem with a dude who lived in the front half of my duplex. there was a common attic and he would spy on me from the attic.

one day i was in my closet trying to pick a shirt and noticed white powder on the shoulder of a black shirt. wtf? i look up and noticed a hole in the ceiling. and in the back wall and over my bed and over my shower and all over the freaking place.

after i figured out what was going on and called the cops who did not believe me and laughed at me i started pounding on the ceiling with a bat when i would hear him above me and he would just scamper away.

finally confronted neighbors up front - a couple with two small girls and a male babysitter. talked to the husband who said it must be the babysitter (??), he said why dont you let me in your place, i will go in attic and put a lock on my side (we had pull-down stairs). he did. end of problem.

I was at this hippy festival last year and some dirty shirtless man kept staring at me. Finally he marched over screaming "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID". I'm laughing and all "what are you talking about" YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. EVERYONE SAW YOU!

See normally that's a valid accusation as I tend to go overboard, but not this time. This encounter went on for a few minutes then he walked about 50 yards away and glared at me for a good 10 minutes. that's the first thing that comes to mind.

As of today he has not found me again, though

I'm not sure if this fits or is weird, but to me I thought it was!

Last week my husband and I were walking into a Chinese Restaurant in the City nearby. While we were walking toward the entrance of the restaurant, we both saw a woman and a man. The man was (very casually) holding his little boy's hand while (the boy) urinated in BROAD daylight right ON THE SIDE of the walkway IN FRONT of the entrance! The boy was, I'd say, around 3 years old. 

I do not have children. I didn't know quite what to think of this. For Christ's sake why couldn't the parents have the boy pee in the restaurant bathroom like any other civil human being?

I could give them the benefit of the doubt thinking the little one has a medical issue, but the restroom was right there! There were people all over the place!

I thought it was really in poor taste-the rest room was less than a minute away!

Does anyone consider this behavior "cute" or "normal"?? FH says, awwww, he's just a little kid...and I know that kids have to go when they have to go, but this?

madam, i kept waiting for you to say that you married this person, ha ha.

im also curious as to what europeans you were modeling yourself after.

unfortunately i can't think of anything weird like the ones above, but maybe something will come to me.

Couple of years ago my mom and I are in the car nd we are on our way to get haircuts. There is lots of traffic so while we are at a red light she calls the stylist and says we will be running a little late. No problem she says, see you when you get here.

That phone call lasted about 45 seconds. During that 45 seconds this very pungent strong odor permeates our SUV. What was the smell? Hair products...The smell of a salon. At first I don't say anything because, well... mom is on the phone. I think It's just my mind playing a weird trick. I look around outside, no salon or beauty store in sight. We had just gotten off an exit of the highway, everything looks normal. Some restaurants and such but no salon.

Mom gets off the phone, she gives me this intent look. I say, do you smell that? She says....YES! It smells like Donna's salon! I said, okay good I thought it was just me smelling that. She said No...but its really strange.

The smell stuck around for a good 2-3 minutes all the while us looking at each other bewildered and wondering how the heck it happened. Then it dissipated. We never figured out how it happened.

Original Post by watergirl:

wow that IS weird. you are lucky you had such a street savvy roommate.

i had a peeping tom problem with a dude who lived in the front half of my duplex. there was a common attic and he would spy on me from the attic.

one day i was in my closet trying to pick a shirt and noticed white powder on the shoulder of a black shirt. wtf? i look up and noticed a hole in the ceiling. and in the back wall and over my bed and over my shower and all over the freaking place.

after i figured out what was going on and called the cops who did not believe me and laughed at me i started pounding on the ceiling with a bat when i would hear him above me and he would just scamper away.

finally confronted neighbors up front - a couple with two small girls and a male babysitter. talked to the husband who said it must be the babysitter (??), he said why dont you let me in your place, i will go in attic and put a lock on my side (we had pull-down stairs). he did. end of problem.

 OMG! How invasive, wg

I can't believe the cops would do that to you. What a**holes!

Original Post by octo-luv:

madam, i kept waiting for you to say that you married this person, ha ha.

im also curious as to what europeans you were modeling yourself after.

unfortunately i can't think of anything weird like the ones above, but maybe something will come to me.

octo- I had no idea what "Europeans" I was modeling myself after.  LOL  I was just a kid.  I had some strange ideas in those days.  Most of them came from reading fiction.  LOL

hotrebeccainmesa- that sounds awful.  Did the babysitter get fired?  Did you press charges? 

madamq, cops said technically he wasnt on my property and so there were no charges to press. they really did laugh. wtf?

some guy i knew, a vietnam vet, suggested i load some shotgun shells with spoiled hamburger meat and shoot him through the ceiling. said it would keep him away for sure. haha tempting yes, but ultimately...no.

dont recall the fate of the sitter. this happened back in the early 80s - ive slept since then ;)