People Share Stories Of Their Encounters With Total Strangers And It's Mind-Boggling

When I was 17, my dog got out and was hit by a car. A man (not the driver) found him in the street and called my house. I was home alone and ran outside where he died in my arms. The guy who found him was driving an HVAC truck and clearly had no experience with consoling teenage girls, but he stayed with me and for an hour on the side of the road while I called my parents, cried hysterically with snot and tears streaming down my face, yelled at rubberneckers and was basically inconsolable. He would give me awkward pats on the back to help calm me down until my mom came.

Months later, I was working at the grocery store and he came through my line. I recognized him right away, but wasn't sure if he recognized me. Before he left, he made eye contact and gave me a knowing nod and half smile of acknowledgment. He's my favorite stranger.

stranger

Bit of a weird one, but when I was about 9, I remember being at a fair where they were giving out free samples of pies, a French guy came up to me and asked in broken English "why you take if you no give money", I replied by saying "they're free" and then walking off. For some reason, I always regretted not giving a better explanation- this guy probably didn't understand and therefore didn't get any free pie.

ox_

This guy dressed in a fancy suit sat down next to me (an average college student) on the train and we started talking. This is what I learned about him:

He had no family growing up

At a young age he sold drugs

Street raced for drug money

Was shot twice and cut with a knife multiple times

Ran from the police for a year

Did time in jail

Was in the porn business for drug money

Realized he was taking his life on the wrong path

Went back to school to get his GED, finished with a 4.0

Now works as a mechanic working on top-of-the-line modifications to expensive cars

He was going to the city to propose to his S.O. with the ring he just purchased

We ended the train ride with a bro hug. I'll probably never see him again but I'm glad I met him.

Hawkwer27

Random Latvian guy wanted to play football (soccer) with me, I want to be more open with strangers so we played. The talk afterwards was special. He talked about his job, he is a repairman who sailed around the world repairing motors n shit and he talked about him being on the run from the Latvian police on drug charges, how bad Latvia really is and how he just wanted a friend here since he only knew his sister and her husband. This was a mind boggling conversation as I don't know if he speaks the truth or not, however I want to believe he's not lying.
We wrapped up our stuff said goodbyes and went on our bikes heading home.

He apparently took a wrong turn and caught up with where I was riding. With his thick slavic accent I hear "MY FRIEND!" I had the biggest fucking smile on my face, can't remember last time someone called me their friend. Wonder where the bastard is now.

SirSharth

I was walking to the bus stop in middle school and a woman walked by with her dog. The dog jumped at me and the woman pulled him back and said "Yes, she's pretty isn't she?"

It was a small thing, but after being relentlessly bullied at school for being ugly/"looking like a boy" it meant the world to me. 9 years later and I still remember :)

edit: Just a small note on if she was talking about the dog. It's entirely possible! She kept walking, so if she was the memory is now funny to me because it's like "Yes my dog is gorgeous"struts away. And either way, I had an easier time dealing with things at school that day so I'm counting it as a good memory haha.

PastelCube

My friend and I were in a club and started chatting to a guy who looked really nervous at the bar. Turns out he was in town because the next day he was going to meet his biological father for the first time, he was very nervous and excited and kept wondering whether what he'd done with his life would impress his father and more importantly whether he'd like his dad or not. I never saw him again but I really hope it all went well for him, he was a lovely guy.

pai_mei_mighty_beard

Very pretty girl in line for Goliath at Six Flags California. I was a very shy 16 year-old, and she struck up conversation with me. She was visiting from Texas on a field trip or something. She talked to me the whole way through the line. She was really upbeat and very endearing, and I found myself entranced not just by her beauty, but by her openness and little quirks.

She had mentioned her friends left her by herself so she got into a car alone, on the far side, and looked at me like she wanted me to join her. I didn't. I let the gate close and waved with a stupid smile. She looked very disappointed. I'll never forget how sad she looked that I didn't get the hint; I could practically feel her heart drop, and I never saw her after.

To that girl, I fell in love with you that day. But I was a dumb 16 year-old who didn't know what the hell to do in that situation! I'm 29 now and still, to this day, regret not getting in that car with you.

1j0m25

As a 12 year old kid. I was sitting on a bench at a six flags by myself. A random average looking guy in what I would guess is his mid 20s came up to me and said, "you will remember me for the rest of your life."

Then he left and went about his business.

That fucker knows how to play the game. 15 years later and I still remember him, and think of him about every couple of months.

Kor_of_Memory

Several years ago, I ended up sobbing in the Lisbon airport as I waited to board a plane. My boyfriend at the time lived in Portugal, and I was flying back to the US after a visit.

I was sitting on the floor trying hard to cry quietly, and suddenly another girl my age appeared beside me and handed me a tissue. She put her arm around me and put her head on mine. I literally just sat there, crying in this strangers arms, for several minutes.

Finally I said, "Thank you," and she just nodded. She didn't speak English, it seemed, so we didn't talk. She sat with me in silence until it was time to board.

I wish I had shown her more gratitude. I will never, ever forget that moment.

HappyGiraffe

When I was about 16, I really wanted a red beret like the one Max had in Rushmore. I finally found one in NYC in this little stall in the village. It totally fit and everything, and I was super pumped. On the train ride home, I was wearing it and my friends were messing around with me, and just being mean, although I didn't particularly mind. Then I see this large black woman sitting across the aisle from us and she's clearly amused, so I ask, "What do you think? Does it suit me?" And she says, "I think you look great. Honey, only you can be you, remember that."

That one sentence changed my entire outlook on life, and what I considered important in terms of the way I was perceived by other people. It really changed me for the better, especially as someone who had historically been self conscious. I even wrote part of my college essay about her, and it was the essay I used that got me into the school I attend right now.

For some reason in my memory of her, I always picture her knitting...

algebraic94

I was at the zoo with my boyfriend, and we walked by this guy. He was wearing thick black eyeliner, black lipstick, a top hat, long sleeve shirt and long pants, and carrying a black umbrella. He looked like he had never smiled in his life. And this was on a hot summer day, so I have no idea how he didn't die of heat stroke or something.

So instead of staring like every other person there, I smiled at him as I walked passed. When I looked back at him, he was looking at me, smiling. It made me happy to know that I could make him smile.

xxLovelyEvilxx

I went on an early morning run in my neighborhood after a crappy night. I was feeling sorry for myself.

Until I saw this beautifully dressed, poised, middle aged, black woman. I thought it was odd to see this woman, who was clearly dressed for some sort of party or banquet, out at 6:30 in the morning.

As I got closer, I saw that she was crying. We were the only people on the street, so I stopped to ask her if she was alright.

In between sobs, she choked out "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I'm just having a terrible morning. My husband just told me that another woman is carrying his baby."

All I could do was stammer out an apology and awkwardly hug her. She thanked me and pushed past, continuing to walk and sob.

She had a beautiful name, but I can't remember it. I still think of her, she obviously lives somewhere in my neighborhood. This was over two years ago. I hope she's better off now.

1j0m25

I went to a WWE show in SD, for shit and giggles I had a luchador mask on. As I was having my way to my seat this kid starts to freak out, he starts to hug me and stuff, telling me he always wanted to meet a luchador. He looked like he was 15, 16 and with a mental disability.

I, feeling a little awkward just smile at him and went to my seat, as I was leaving him he says "LOVE YOUR MASK". I stop and turn around and say "You really like it?" he, with full glooming eye says "yes!!, I love it!!".. And I took my mask off and said, "Well, now it's yours, take care of it with pride and honor". I can't explain his face. It was just, happiness.

I went into my seat , enjoyed the show and then went to my home in Mexico. Never saw him again, but I think about that kid often.

Frankocean2

When i was 13-14 i was waiting in front of the local church in the morning because me and a friend would ride our bikes to school.

While i was waiting i suddenly heard a very soft ''excuse me'' behind me, so i turn around. I see an old lady who was standing there just smiling, and suddenly told me ''You truly have wonderful hair, i hope you're proud of it.''

I was baffled, i mean i surely didn't expect that in my early morning. So i say thank you to the nice lady and my friend comes riding and asking me to hurry.

I keep thinking i reminded her of someone, why else would she say that, i never knew if i should feel sad or happy about meeting her.

Lenkie

I was at a Blink 182 concert a few years ago in KC. It was so fucking hot and we were packed to (probably more than) capacity. After having been standing there all day, my feet were tired, so (I was behind this guy) I just leaned forward and wrapped my arms around this short but really stocky dude. He just turned his head slightly to see this sweaty, bearded tired face of mine. I said, "sorry man, Im just really tired, can I rest here a minute?" He said sure, so I laid my head down on his shoulder and rested. After a minute or so I figured it was time to be moving forward. Never found out that guys name, but he was one of the most chill people Ive met at a concert.

Miss you buddy. Hope the show was as fun for you as it was for me.

no1flyhalf

For some reason people seem to avoid sitting next to me on public transportation. It's not rare for me to see people, especially girls, stand in a crowded bus rather than take the only vacant seat next to me. I don't smell bad, look like a hobo or anything, it's just some weird karma that I never figured out.

So this one time I was on a half-full train and this girl who was in the army asked if the seat next to me was vacant. First I thought nothing of it, I think we exchanged a couple of words as the train started moving before she started reading a book. Then she murmured something with a soft voice and fell asleep, resting her head on my shoulder. For the next hour I couldn't move, she had this hint of a smile in her sleep. And she had a stunningly beautiful face and was super cute despite having short hair. I spent the hour trying to find courage to ask for her number - I didn't. So I woke her up when I had to get off the train and said I was sorry to interrupt her sleep. She smiled at me and I left. I literally banged my head against the wall when I got home.

Grin_

After a night out I stumbled along to a casino for some after drinks. While sitting at a table with my flatmate a gorgeous girl came and sat next to me and started chatting out of the blue. When my flatmate went to the toilet she dragged me up to dance and started kissing me quite thoroughly.

I spent the next 30 minutes following this beautiful creature around the casino, culminating in more groping and kissing in the elevator on the way to the exit. She then gave me her phone number, said "See you around" and floated off to a taxi.

The number was fake and I have never seen her again... If my flatmate hadnt seen her, I wouldn't believe it had happened.

StevenTheMagician

When I was a little kid, I was riding in the backseat of my parents car on the highway. I looked to my left out my window to see a guy on a motorcycle (street bike, not a Harley). I was fixated on this dude, couldn't stop staring and he noticed. He looks over at me, then looks back over at the road in front of him, stands up on his foot-pegs and hits a wheelie as he accelerates away from me and my family. Needless to say - I went nuts.

20 some years later I make sure I pop a wheelie whenever a little kid is staring at me on my bike.

So to whoever that stranger on his bike was - thanks!

Rico_Rizzo

I once saw a cute girl at an airport while waiting for my flight to Vegas. We made a few smiling glances at each other before our plane arrived. My favorite part was when this very large obese man came wadling out of the terminal with a can while hunched over (to put it in perspective he looked like violet from Willie wonka, except he was old kinda saggy and made strange noises as he walked similar to skeletor) I looked over at her as he walked by and we both registered the situation and put our heads down and held our laughter. Finally we got on the plane and last I saw her was when she walked the opposite way with her dad down the airport. I wish I could bump into that girl again... She was very cute. On the plus side my plane was painted as an orca whale so that was pretty sweet

Clarification: this was last year and I was 18 at the Time

1j0m25

I was 12 and I was walking home from school just staring at the pavement. The world was crumbling around me: my mom was partying (trying to recapture her lost youth) while my father was dying quietly (he would pass away 3 years later) plus I was somewhat picked on for my "skater" image that day...

A pretty blonde and her friend were walking towards me, passing me on the sidewalk, and I expected some comment about how long my hair was or my JNCO's. Instead she said with a smile, "Keep your head up or you might miss the world in front of you".

I hope she's still a happy person and that life has been kind to her.

TheEndlessSearch