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Strange Strangers

Sprout, mushroom and chorizo soup.. Very tasty.

This guy watching the station. If he was accompanying his wife, wouldn't he just walk all the way to the platform with her ?

Seems odd.
 
Sprout, mushroom and chorizo soup.. Very tasty.

This guy watching the station. If he was accompanying his wife, wouldn't he just walk all the way to the platform with her ?

Seems odd.

Morning Int.

I’m up early this Saturday morning as My 6 yr old woke up with a nose bleed. Blood everywhere. - have just finished scrubbing the stairs with a an old dish cloth.

Anyway, no you cant get onto the platform without a valid ticket.
 
Also when you go out shopping with a mate, does this happen to you? ' Turns around
'Does this hat look good' to a perfect stranger, 'Damn, she moved.get back over here, im talking to some strange man'

Yes, this happens to me a lot. My partner has either recently become a ninja or my hearing is not as good as it used to be as she's taken to wandering off silently in the supermarket, leading to a couple of awkward occasions where I have asked perfect strangers if "we" need whatever I'm looking at, only for me to turn around and realise some poor octogenarian housewife is wondering how to reply!

I suppose this makes me one of the strange strangers. :)

This guy watching the station. If he was accompanying his wife, wouldn't he just walk all the way to the platform with her?

My partner likes to walk to work and if I am at home she asks me to walk with her. I like the extra exercise so I nearly always do. However I don't walk right to the door of her employer, I just walk most of the way. As it tends to be the same time of day there's this bloke walking his dog behind us most days and he presumably overhears our goodbyes, I reckon he thinks I am very controlling as he has begun giving me an odd look recently. Ah well, people always think the worst.
 
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Sprout, mushroom and chorizo soup.. Very tasty.

This guy watching the station. If he was accompanying his wife, wouldn't he just walk all the way to the platform with her ?

Seems odd.


I saw the early morning stellar drinker again the other day, but this time and for the first time it was in the evening when I was coming home from work.

He was arguing with the ticket inspectors to let him onto the platform, as he was meeting his wife off the train – they wouldn’t without a ticket.

Unfortunately I have to say that he was very very drunk, had a can of Kronenburg in his hand and was very aggressive.

I wished I’d hung around to see what he would do next, i.e. wait outside the station and meet up with his wife, and if that did happen, what her reaction would be towards him, but as he was causing a bit of a ruckus with the inspectors, I was a little worried that he would recognise me, so I just walked on by
 
I saw the early morning stellar drinker again the other day, but this time and for the first time it was in the evening when I was coming home from work.

He was arguing with the ticket inspectors to let him onto the platform, as he was meeting his wife off the train – they wouldn’t without a ticket.

Unfortunately I have to say that he was very very drunk, had a can of Kronenburg in his hand and was very aggressive.

I wished I’d hung around to see what he would do next, i.e. wait outside the station and meet up with his wife, and if that did happen, what her reaction would be towards him, but as he was causing a bit of a ruckus with the inspectors, I was a little worried that he would recognise me, so I just walked on by
Wonder if he doesn't see you and wonders what you are up to:fbunny:
 
Now there’s an oxymoron.

maximus otter
Doubtless he's a railway buff and is simply raising a glass in tribute to a particular BR Standard Class 9F locomotive ;).

I saw the early morning stellar drinker again the other day, but this time and for the first time it was in the evening when I was coming home from work.
On the previous occasions when you have seen him, was he always in situ at the station by the time you arrived? Like Captain Mainwaring, I assume you have never actually seen his purported spouse.
 
I'm still voting for the 'controlling husband who suspects his wife is having an affair and needs to be under his eye at all times in order to prevent said affair.' In my evilness I would creep up to him and say 'they have stationary cupboards, you know...'

and probably get decked.

Poor guy, sounds like he needs help, actually.
 
Engaging anecdote from the aul fella at the bus stop. Pointing across the road he began "I got off over there one day. And it was teeming down. I had to get off, y'know" and he chuckled at the retelling. The tale ended there, on a high note.

For myself just knowing the art of the raconteur did not die with David Niven made the exchange worthwhile.
 
I'm still voting for the 'controlling husband who suspects his wife is having an affair and needs to be under his eye at all times in order to prevent said affair.' In my evilness I would creep up to him and say 'they have stationary cupboards, you know...'

and probably get decked.

Poor guy, sounds like he needs help, actually.


I’m starting to wonder if he even has a wife – maybe he once he did, but I’m inclined to think not anymore due to his unsociable habit and maybe he’s stalking his ex..

He was there this morning by the way, studying the platforms, tin in one hand, rollup in the other.
 
I've known a couple of people over the years who actually admitted they drained people on purpose.
Wow! Do you know if they feel guilty at all, or entitled? If they are desperately needing support and resources, I could understand, but if they just want to suck others dry without giving anything back -- that motivation is so alien to anyone I am friends with, and to myself, that it's almost impossible and very creepy to even try to imagine what it feels like to live like that.
 
Wow! Do you know if they feel guilty at all, or entitled? If they are desperately needing support and resources, I could understand, but if they just want to suck others dry without giving anything back -- that motivation is so alien to anyone I am friends with, and to myself, that it's almost impossible and very creepy to even try to imagine what it feels like to live like that.

I agree with your point of view. It seemed to me that they just felt entitled. They could, so they would. It's probably telling that they weren't very likable.
 
They come in various guises and some are really obvious and have a certain look about them. Others can appear as good friends who feed off you bit by bit over a long period of time. For obvious reasons these are the most dangerous. They know all about you and what strings to pull to psyche you up so they can feed off your energy. Or what steps to take to ' step into your shoes' in life by stealing partners, careers, other friends, make you ill, gaslight you etc. They are dangerous as they never ever show their hands until the damage is done. They have no sense of guilt. Believe me when I tell you that some will hang around as fake friends for years and maintain the relationship until the opportunity shows itself. These kinds are unable to achieve certain things and cannot genuinely muster up energy. Jealousy and wanting what you have is the key here.They exist believe me I have had a few fiends ( not a typo) like this. They end up mocking and laughing at you for your misfortunes too. Give me a casual energy vampire any day at least they will clear off after sucking you dry leaving you exhausted and bewildered unless you head them off at the first opportunity. Yes they are Aliens they are cold hearted people who have no conscience at all and couldn't care less.
 
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There's a bloke sometimes found standing at the top of our road who absolutely has to engage everyone walking past in lengthy conversation, he's the sort of person who tries to continue the conversation with a new topic to your back as you're walking away. I used to cross the road which didn't work as he'd shout over to me and cross the road. Then I'd just keep walking with whatever polite excuse I could come up with but that didn't work either. Now I beeline for him and bore the shit out of him first, deliberately babbling about the weather yesterday, today and tomorrow and that seems to work. He's not unpleasant with his conversation so everyone's kind to him but everyone also rolls their eyes in fear at the mention of his name. He's probably just lonely. I'm starting to become a bit fond of him to be honest.

This is what all city dwellers fear neighbours are like.
 
As I get older, I don’t seem to be a nutter magnet anymore. I reckon that now when my face is in “neutral” I look quite angry so that deters them. Maybe when I was younger my neutral face was innocent gullibility.

One of the last was in ASDA a while back when a bloke came up to me in the fruit aisle, pointed his finger at me and shouted, “Your grandmother never bought strawberries on a Tuesday eh? Eh? Eh?”

Luckily, I seem to avoid energy vampires too – mainly because I’m retired now. I encountered quite a few at work.

One guy would always ask if I was busy and I’d hold up the phone to show him I was taking a call or I’d tell him that the five other people in the room and I were having a meeting. Didn’t deter him in the slightest. He’d start muttering about some imagined grievance and how he was going to write an “angry letter” to someone in authority. Grievances included an online photographic retailer I’d recommended to him, not selling kitchen appliances and dangerous currents in the river – the council were going to get a “very angry letter” about that.

He was always asking for advice, then ignoring that advice and then would start whining about the problems caused by ignoring that advice – never his fault of course. He was one of those people that when he spoke to you (well mumbled at your shoulder) would make you think "Please God, let one of us die."

Another one was permanently angry about everything and I was stuck in an office with him. Non-stop rage all day long – he’d fly into rages about lamp posts, milk bottles, birds, clouds anything. Our office overlooked a car park and that would always add fuel to his fire. We’d be working away and suddenly there would be a shout of “LOOK AT THAT *****ING IDIOT!” and off he’d go.

It was incredibly tiring working with him, we used to go home exhausted. But, it didn’t last long. I came back from a holiday to be told that he’d had a heart attack looking at a gardening catalogue and became apoplectic over some cabbages. He ended up retiring on health grounds and it really did wonders for our health.

There was another person, I’m not sure if I’d describe her as an energy vampire but she had a very strange effect on people. She would speak in a very, flat monotonous voice and you’d very quickly realise that the edges of your vision were blurring and you were starting to sway.

I thought it was just me but other people said the same thing. We later found out she had actually raised thousands of pounds for charity. I sometimes wonder if the donors knew, “I remember saying ‘hello’ to her…then everything is a blank and I’m on my own and there’s a hundred quid missing from my wallet.”

This post made me chuckle end to end. Imagine having a heart attack over cabbages I-
 
brownmane said: Sprouts are NOT cabbages.
Tom Kerridge was currying them on Womans Hour yesterday- said he wanted to make them even more fun.

Before I saw subsequent posts, I thought that by currying sprouts, he was using a curry comb on them like you do with horses. I figured it was an ultra fussy way of presentation or something. Guess I'm not much of a cook!

this bloke is 78 and is losing the plot. I have known him over 40 years and chatted to him when I see him but suddenly he escalates things to a full blown affair situation by the seems of it. Hubby is teasing me now. I give up!:dunno:

Becoming inappropriate in his behavior like that, after 40 years of acquaintance with you, makes me wonder if he's developing dementia.
(Referring to the 78 yo man who called you, not your hubby of course!)
 
Strangely enough Ibis I was thinking the very same thing. Others have commented on him being odd or hard work too. He has 2 adult married children who really should be keeping an eye on him as well. But there you go such is life.
 
Ok I know that they are in the same family, but it will not convince me that they taste like cabbages. I do not like them Sam I Am. And yes I have tried them:puke2:

The majority of people overcook the cabbage family by boiling and it ends up being grey, soft and stinky. If they weren't bright green and firm then maybe give them another chance? Yours, Sprout Fan.
 
I love a sprout. Used to eat them raw as a child - they can have a sort of peppery heat they lose when cooked. As the Earthworm has said, overcooking is a crime.

I had a friend who years ago had a phase of dropping a sprout in random people's pocket or bag when the opportunity arose, & used to ponder on their bafflement & bemusement at finding unexpected veg on their person.

Yours
another sprout fan
 
I love a sprout. Used to eat them raw as a child - they can have a sort of peppery heat they lose when cooked. As the Earthworm has said, overcooking is a crime.

I had a friend who years ago had a phase of dropping a sprout in random people's pocket or bag when the opportunity arose, & used to ponder on their bafflement & bemusement at finding unexpected veg on their person.

Yours
another sprout fan

Me preparing sprouts for the pot 'oh there's 3 of us for lunch that leaves 8 each .. oh there's 2 over ... better eat them now then! (As if adults would argue about who had the most sprouts or even notice lol!) Any excuse, as you say they have a lovely peppery taste when raw. :)

If I find I've overcooked them I boil them a bit longer then mash with butter and pepper any left overs make a nice spread on toast the next morning. (Sorry for the imagery you sprout haters!!)

mmmm I like your friends style. I'm getting to that age where I can get away with doing odd things (provided I don't over so it of course!) so I just might give it a go lol!

Sollywos x
 
I’m starting to wonder if he even has a wife – maybe he once he did, but I’m inclined to think not anymore due to his unsociable habit and maybe he’s stalking his ex..

He was there this morning by the way, studying the platforms, tin in one hand, rollup in the other.

I am so cross with you for not hanging around to check up on the 'wife' situation. I'm really intrigued by this tale of a stranger being told me by a stranger so keep being nosey ... er sleuthing, hide in the rubbish bin if you must!!

Sollywos x
 
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I know what you mean Vida Loca about 'friends' draining/undermining you. I've recently dropped one, just stopped answering phone calls and fb messages etc. I wish I'd confronted her but I lacked the courage. I've known her for well over half a century although for the vast majority of that time we hardly saw or spoke to each other (yearly xmas card and occassional phone call, rare visits). In my old age I've decided enough is enough better late then never I suppose! I just wish I'd realised what was going years ago!

Sollywos x
 
I am so cross with you for not hanging around to check up on the 'wife' situation. I'm really intrigued by this tale of a stranger being told me by a stranger so keep being nosey ... er sleuthing, hide in the rubbish bin if you must!!

Sollywos x

Fear not Sollywos, I shall get to the bottom of this. Inspector Turpin of the yard always gets his man.

This morning he was staggering up the small residential street that leads to the station, before taking up his usual spot beside the bin – didn’t see any wife though, just him and the obligatory can of Steller (although this morning it was the polish beer Tyskie)
 
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