I'm an autistic introvert, so my public interactions consist mainly of keeping my head down while walking briskly before anyone can speak to me.
But some people seem to have a demeanor that invites conversations with strangers. My Sisters are afflicted with this trait in varying degrees.
When random strangers decide to strike up a conversation, you never know what will happen.
Reddit user izzie4563 asked:
"What is the strangest thing a stranger has said to you on the street?"
Via The Branch Office
"Was walking my dog when a lady approached, leaned in close, and whispered, 'They're listening through the trees', then just walked away like nothing happened."
"Haven't looked at an oak the same since."
~ Jone_Donis
Sorry Halloween GIF by This GIF Is HauntedGiphy
Surprise!
"A girl said to me very low 'I found your wife cheating on you'."
"I don't have a wife or girlfriend."
~ Mobile-Mind-5422
Was It Edgar?
"'I'm dressed as a human today'."
"I kept on walking by, but much faster."
"What the hell does that mean‽‽"
~ Ok-Thing-2222
The Hat Was Tinfoil
"Convo had In a train station with one hooded guy coming at me looking suspiciously around him, asking me:"
"'Hey psst, are you one of them?"
"Me: 'Them? no, I don't think so'."
"Him: "You know, the ones who're in control of everything and watching us?'."
"Me: 'Nope, I'm not and won't you think I wouldn't tell you if I was?'."
"He stared confused at the ground for a few seconds, watched over his shoulder, watched over my shoulder and say: 'OK, OK, I choose to believe you, thank you, sir'."
"And off we went carrying on with our day."
~ Lord-Legatus
Inform The Media
"I’m walking with a school friend down the street."
"A car stops in the middle of traffic and the driver—a middle aged woman—calls out, 'Hey, are you two brothers?'."
"Both of us look at each other and wonder, even if we were, is she going home and announcing excitedly, 'Hey I saw a couple of brothers today!'?"
~ Veteranis
Consult The Sun
"Years ago, a very, very drunk man unsteadily approached my friend and I in the street."
"He was squinting at his watch and closing one eye to try and read it."
"When he finally got to us he asked 'Is it 10 in the morning or 10 at night?'."
~ Candid_Zebra1297
The Bigger The Skull...
"In Long Beach, California when I was a teenager, older lady walking past:"
"'Oh you must be a smart boy—your head’s so large you must have a lot of extra brains'."
~ Veteranis
Fight Club
"'Do you do MMA?'."
"You just have the kind of face that looks like it could take a punch'—guy making my sandwich at Subway."
~ Ok-Chip-6147
If You Can Make It There
"Dude walked up to me and my girlfriend and just yelled 'NEW YORK CITY!!!!' then kept walking."
"We don't live in NYC nor did we have NY apparel on."
~ Shykneeheiny
Kissinger And Putin In Dublin
"I was in an Argos department store once waiting in line and an older fella walks over to me and starts telling me how Putin isn’t as stupid as America thinks and something about Kissinger that I don’t actually remember, I just remember Googling who Kissinger was after that day."
"I live in Ireland and this was in 2019."
"There was no reason to bring this up."
~ ArgoverseComics
Was A Blue Police Box Nearby?
"Once had a stranger ask if I believed in time travel."
~ Ravennamirac
Is Ginger A Race?
"'Are you interracial?'."
"I look like Woody Allen and Carrot Top made a love child."
~ too_tall88
Bad Dog
"I was walking my dogs, and this guy hesitantly passed us."
Then he turned around and shouted, 'YOUR DOGS ARE RACIST!'."
"My dogs love everyone."
~ reallyleeryrarely
A Lot Harder To Find Now
"My husband had somebody ask him where he could get a labotomy when he was at the pharmacy."
"He said you need a doctor first."
~ Glittering-Alps-7819
Invisible Vehicle
"Was getting fuel at a gas station."
"Guy proudly swaggers over to me and says, 'I know you seen my blue truck'."
"There was no blue truck."
~ Electrical_Chicken
What's your oddest encounter with a stranger?
@omahajoe/Bluesky
@pattriottakes/X