Anyone have strangers they still think about?

[PlannedforPeru]

People often describe major relationships as the fire that gives meaning to their lives, but what about the smaller flickers of light with the less involved people? Do any of you guys have near complete strangers that you still think about to this day, for the worse or the better?

To share some of my own, I have a few:

• The man who shared a laugh with me while stopped at intersection during a raging storm; without exchanging a single word he gestured what could've been a few sentences worth through our windows about a lightning strike I missed.
• While I worked at Subway for a bit, this customer had a smile that, as corny/weird as it sounds, still has me feeling warm when I think about it.
• This one is kinda cheating since they're slightly more than a stranger but I'm sure I think about them more than they do me. My psychology professor in my first year of undergrad, we'd often walk (guess in a literal sense just me since she was scooter bound) and talk on her way off campus on the days I would make it to class.
• A last more negative one, the passerby who threatened to beat my ass when I was on break outside on the loading dock for looking in his direction.

I have dozens of more examples and I hope life has been kind to the people above (even and especially the last dude) but as much as I enjoy reminiscing, I'm more interested to hear about your guy's experiences with unforgettable strangers.

 

[Forever Sleep]

What a lovely idea for a thread...

My most positive ones:

- I also worked in retail. There was this one customer who was just so funny and entertaining. A nice change when the work is so dull. She came out with all sorts of funny things. At the end of it, she read my name badge and said: '-------, I feel like I've known you my whole life!' I expect she said it to lots of people but, it made me smile.

- Another customer who was a regular said she would help me if she won the lottery. Bless! It was obvious I was miserable there.

- There are a few people I remember from conversations we've had randomly on buses/ coaches/ trains. One lady, I deliberately missed my stop because I enjoyed talking to them so much.

- Someone called the wrong number at work once. He thought it was the local Chinese Take Away. He was so funny. I love it when people make me laugh.

Of the negative stuff, it's mainly been guys who've hit on me. Very unusual in itself because I'm not at all attractive...

- One guy, it was just a bit unfortunate really. I used to go to an evening class after college. It wasn't worth going home so, I used to hang around a shopping centre, get something to eat etc. in between. Once, I'm sitting on a bench and for some reason, I start thinking about how unobservant I am. I see this random man and think- if the police asked me for a description, I doubt I'd be able to remember them. Maybe I was staring or something so- he decides to come up and talk and eventually, ask me out. He was kind of pushy about it to be honest. But yeah, the two together weren't a good mix! Still- I do believe in intuition. So- maybe I was right initially and, there was something dodgy about him.

- The other was a guy in a park. He was friendlier but didn't exactly use the best line: 'I struggle with my weight too.' To be fair, I was eating an ice cream at the time!

-Plus, a bunch of other times I have felt massively socially awkward- mainly in front of groups of kids.

 

[Redacted24]

I love this thread. Happens all the time, randomly and unforgettably.
I was at a security checkpoint at a building near where I work and this nice looking lady kept looking at me and smiling. At first I thought there was something wrong she noticed like bird dropping on my shoulder, but there was nothing amiss.
I went by a few times that day to see if she would return but alas she didn't.

Sort of wonder what she found so intriguing. I'm a pretty non descript type.

 

[ijustwishtodie]

No.

 

[PixelPlant]

I remember being at my local Chinatown with my mom and her friends. She was talking with them in her native language which is Chinese, and I was just standing there. Then, this group of elementary school kids walked by, and every single one of them was so friendly, trying to greet us in what they thought was Chinese. Thought it was funny tho.

 

[saunabliss]

I love this idea. The ones that pop up in my head:

- Years ago, I traveled to Tokyo and watched this man on the sidewalk painting a beautiful abstract image while tap dancing. Didn't ask for any money. Watching him gave me so much joy.
- I got into a bad snowboarding accident and a stranger stayed by my side and talked to me until the medics came. Before he left, he said he would never forget me.
- Me and my gyno were cracking jokes and laughing our asses off about my ex and my vagina. She told me she usually doesn't talk with her patients like that.
- Got stuck on a plane for 4 hours but had a great conversation about space travel with an old man next to me. I didn't get annoyed about the delay at all.

I'm terrible with keeping friends and I had many traumatic events but I really did enjoy having little memorable moments with random people I would never meet again.

 

[iloveloving]

Yes, I cherish those small but kind interactions.

What a lovely thread. Thank you for sharing.