Most encounters with strangers are usually unremarkable. People might hold doors open, comment on the weather, or let someone else go ahead in line. These moments often leave little impact on either person. However, when a stranger says something that disrupts the moment, it can stick in your mind, sometimes for years. An online discussion asked users to share the creepiest things strangers had said to them, and some of the stories are quite unsettling. You might find yourself more alert about who is nearby the next time you are waiting for a bus.
One person shared that while at a hostel, a French woman read their chakra. She started by saying there was a lot of pent-up anger but also noted they had a good heart. Then she mentioned that a lot of this anger was aimed at a man with a mustache and birds on his arm. This matched their grandfather, who had a mustache for decades and had a national bird tattooed on his arm. The woman also asked if they planned to join the military. Before they could respond, she warned that if they did, they would lose their life in four years. The person had been thinking about enlisting after returning home and kept the note with her name and “4 years” in their wallet, unsure of what to believe.
Another individual recounted walking in the city with their girlfriend when a seemingly homeless man shouted that if they wrote a book, he would buy it.
In a different instance, a man approached someone saying they had given him their phone number and he thought they were pretty. The individual was so surprised that they mumbled something and quickly left.
Research has examined creepiness as a psychological concept because it is a common experience. A study in 2016 by Francis McAndrew and Sara Koehnke at Knox College found that creepiness occurs when someone breaks social rules in unclear ways. This can create a feeling of unease as the brain detects something is off but cannot label it as a definite threat.
One story involved a hospital worker checking on a patient with a broken arm. The patient whispered about selling one of her kidneys.
In another case, a stranger told someone that their mother had been in a car accident and needed to go to the hospital urgently. It turned out to be true, as the stranger had witnessed the accident and called for help. He tried to keep her calm while she expressed her need to pick up her son and offered to go get him.
Lastly, someone described a car accident they had last year. While it wasn’t severe, it involved four cars and their vehicle was totaled. A man stopped to check on them and asked if they were hurt. They felt shaken but said they were okay. The man then touched their shoulder and claimed he could cure pain through prayer. The individual was uncomfortable and tried to back away, but the man held on tighter and prayed for them, which added to their unease.
Have you ever experienced a stranger saying something that left you feeling uncomfortable?
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Source: Bored Panda, by Eligijus Sinkunas