Ever had an unusual exchange with a stranger?

CindyLouWho

CindyLouWho

Senior Member
Location
USA
As I was about to walk into the grocery store last week, this man, I'd say early 60's, rather handsome, well-dressed was walkng out.
He say's, oh, let me get that door for you. (Ok, ha ha, automatic doors, made me laugh)...
But then he starts stepping back in the store and says can I ask you a question?....before I could say, what?....he says can I have a hug?
As I stood there a few seconds, he says, oh you don't give a stranger a hug?
He smiled and eventually walked out.
What do you think his take was?
 

That was an unusual exchange CindyLou, I would have probably said something to put him in his place. I think he found you attractive and wanted to try his luck in getting a 'hug', if you did hug him, he might have taken it further. I think that was very forward of him for sure, a compliment is one thing, asking for physical contact is crossing the line in my opinion. He seems strange, glad you didn't oblige. Maybe if you bump into him again, he'll apologize....that would be nice.
 
His take was, Cindy, that he saw a good-looking woman and he took a spur-of-the-moment chance with her. But the hug part was a bit too much. I think he was flirting with you and is probably a very extroverted personality. The way you describe him, I would take it as a feel-good moment.
 

I'd say He thought you were attractive and wanted you to know it. When you walked away I am sure he was disappointed. He must had been sad that he tried to hit on an intelligent woman.
 
Weird. I had something similar happen with a taxi driver...he got out, opened door, then pulled the "I need hug" thing, which creeped me out. I backed up and hurried away (I'd already paid). And he was NOT even nice looking. Ugh.

I think you handled it fine. He was flirting and wanted a quick thrill.

PS, maybe some of the SF men will weigh in.
 
Ha, well thanks for the nice complements, but yes he caught me off guard being so assertive or should I say bold.

Only other time that happened was at same grocery store at a different location . I was in the produce and this man says, Oh, I'm sorry, let me get out of your way....well he wasn't in my way, but whatever buddy. Then I walked to another part of the store and he comes up to me and says, you look like a nice lady, makes an hourglass motion with his hands, tells me I have some nice curves.
Tells me he's renting a place on the lake for a couple weeks if I wanted to come by. Hands me a piece of paper with his number on it.
Needless to say threw it out and thought, no thanks.
He was in his latest 50's or 60's.
I wouldn't object to meeting a decent man in the grocery store, but not when I get creepy vibes. Quite bold of him.
I wasn't even dressed great, had just worked out and ran over there real quick.
Maybe 3rd time will be a charm!....or not.
 
applecruncher said:
Weird. I had something similar happen with a taxi driver...he got out, opened door, then pulled the "I need hug" thing, which creeped me out. I backed up and hurried away (I'd already paid). And he was NOT even nice looking. Ugh.

I think you handled it fine. He was flirting and wanted a quick thrill.

PS, maybe some of the SF men will weigh in.
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Yes, that is definitely creepy, applecruncher....glad you were ok.
..and yes, weigh-in SF men....whadda ya think?
 
applecruncher said:
Weird. I had something similar happen with a taxi driver...he got out, opened door, then pulled the "I need hug" thing, which creeped me out. I backed up and hurried away (I'd already paid). And he was NOT even nice looking. Ugh.

I think you handled it fine. He was flirting and wanted a quick thrill.

PS, maybe some of the SF men will weigh in.
Click to expand...

That reminds me of my own taxi story. Right when I got into the cab, the driver told me I was nice looking and I must have been beautiful when I was young. Kind of a double-edged compliment. But he didn't ask for a hug.

Another taxi driver had a conservative talk show on the radio going--rather loud. Naturally, I had to comment. I told him that I wasn't a conservative, but that this particular radio host was okay in a way (talks about movies and culture). Then he asked me what I thought about Rush Limbaugh. That's when I shut up.
 
I've been hit on in a grocery store and in a museum. But while I wasn't interested, they weren't creepy. One simply suggested we exchange phone numbers saying he'd like to take me out sometime. The other asked me if I'd like to meet him for coffee at a place up the street..
 
@ RR
Those types of approaches are fine.

But asking a woman you don't even know for a hug, or worse reaching and trying to "steal a hug"... Ugh. :yuk: :mad:
 
Totally inappropriate. A close friend or family member - fine. These guys, however, are creepy at best and could potentially pose a hazard to you. Refuse quickly and firmly, put space between you and them, and if you still feel uncomfortable bring it to someone else's attention.
 
This reminds me of a guy where I used to work. His name was Morris. He was always putting his hands on the women at work. And he got away with it. Partly because he was a semi-big wig, Department head, and also because of the place and time, small town in central Florida back in the 1980's. People would just say "Oh, that's just Morris".

Anyway one day Morris came to work and his face was all black and blue with bruises. Seems he'd been out at some night spot and put his hands all over the wrong guy's wife. The story as I heard it was that the guy waited until Morris went into the men's room, followed him in, and beat the crap out of him. We all had a good laugh at that.
 
CindyLouWho said:
As I was about to walk into the grocery store last week, this man, I'd say early 60's, rather handsome, well-dressed was walkng out.
Click to expand...

The first thing I thought of was : Ted Bundy was a handsome, well dressed man.

It's always possible he was a nice guy, it's also possible he was seeing if you would be an easy target. The dilemma in this day and age- How does one determine which is which?
 
dkay said:
The first thing I thought of was : Ted Bundy was a handsome, well dressed man.

It's always possible he was a nice guy, it's also possible he was seeing if you would be an easy target. The dilemma in this day and age- How does one determine which is which?
Click to expand...

Under certain circumstances, anyone/everyone can be "nice". I don't think what he did was nice at all.
 
I have met women, when I was simply out and about, and some of those meetings led to intimate encounters, that night, or shortly thereafter. Thing is, I never asked for a hug or made any move at getting physical, during those first meetings. I made small talk, sensed who was interested, and then handed out my business card, asking the lady to give me a call, if so inclined. My success rate was very high, but then I only gave out a card when the signs were there, beforehand. The grocery store encounters sound creepy to me, as well.
 
I don't see many men alone in the Super market...If I do see a man in the store, they usually are with their wife or girlfriend....and some kids...

Now a days, I don't interchange with anyone in the store, except if I bunk into a person I know....Also, if I see a man alone in a clothing store I know they are
the guy watching for anyone stealing items...I one time had a guy following me around the store...It was sort of scary....When I went to the cashier I told her
about the guy....She whispered to me, he is the store person watching for people shop lifting....I told her he is not a very good person for looking for shoplifting...
He mostly was following me....
 
THIS is a coincidence!
Just a short while ago,I was walking out of a shop, when I saw a lady about to walk in...I went to hold the door for her, then realised [too late] that it was an automatic door, felt a complete nit, so tried to make light of it by smilingly asking for a hug. But she thought I was a weirdo. I'm still trying to work out how that door knew just how to make me look so silly. [sigh]
 
@ peppermint

You're right, store detectives aren't supposed to be obvious.

A friend's son was a store detective and he was good at looking scruffy. People don't realize it but in grocery stores they are all over the place...we are always being watched!
 
Lord Elpus said:
THIS is a coincidence!
Just a short while ago,I was walking out of a shop, when I saw a lady about to walk in...I went to hold the door for her, then realised [too late] that it was an automatic door, felt a complete nit, so tried to make light of it by smilingly asking for a hug. But she thought I was a weirdo. I'm still trying to work out how that door knew just how to make me look so silly. [sigh]
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You shouldn't have asked for a hug. Inappropriate and creepy.
Makes no difference whether door was automatic or not.
 
OTOH, he might be in the throes of early dementia. Asking for a hug is so childlike that it's pretty inappropriate for one adult to ask another adult for one. Someone else might have just rejected him, or otherwise insulted
him, and he was feeling like a sad little boy who wanted his Mommy to give him a hug?

Not that that means you should have given it, of course!
 
Hmmm. I guess I have had an "unusual exchange with a stranger." A few years ago I was speed-walking around the neighborhood and a guy pulled up to the curb in his car. He asked for directions and I slowed my pace and approached the car. He was wearing a plaid shirt and nothing else. :lol: I gave him the World's Biggest EyeRoll and walked around back to get his license number while he sped away. Some people are just too pathetic for words.
 
Sunny said:
OTOH, he might be in the throes of early dementia. Asking for a hug is so childlike that it's pretty inappropriate for one adult to ask another adult for one. Someone else might have just rejected him, or otherwise insulted
him, and he was feeling like a sad little boy who wanted his Mommy to give him a hug?

Not that that means you should have given it, of course!
Click to expand...

Oh for goodness sakes, Sunny. There you go AGAIN with the dementia diagnosis

The taxi driver I spoke of had no dementia, believe me. And there are lots of creeps and clueless men who do inappropriate things having nothing whatsoever to do with dementia.

I don't know why you're so hung up on dementia.

And your "sad little boy" comment is just plain silly.
 

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