# A total stranger freaked me out today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 18, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233 "2002-11-18T01:20:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/1 "2002-11-18T01:20:58Z")
My husband and I took the kids to see “Harry Potter” today. There was a man in front of us buying tickets. He looked normal enough–just a young guy in jeans, work boots and a long, black duster coat. Nothing remarkable about his appearance whatsover and he really didn’t do anything odd, but something about him just struck me as “off”. Anyway, we went in and found seats in the theater. A few minutes later, that same man came in and sat right in front of us. He sat completely still and stared at the screen until the movie came on. I couldn’t even begin to say why but he just completely freaked me out to the point where I was ready to change seats. I was unsettled and wary all through the movie. My instincts just told me there was just something “not right” about the guy. I’ve had this happen to me a few times before and I’ve never been able to come up with a rational explanation. It’s not like the guy was acting suspicously or anything. He seemed perfectly normal. When the movie was over and we were walking to our car, my husband remarked that “the guy in front of us creeped me out”. So at least I know it wasn’t just me. So what was that? Anybody have any theories? What tips us off? Instincts? Are we picking up on subtle body language or something? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/2 "2002-11-18T01:29:00Z")
I think this happens to nearly everyone. I get “that person is weird” vibes all the time, but if I don’t have to interact with them, I let it slide. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/3 "2002-11-18T03:39:09Z")
How bad would it have been if he suddenly gave you a backrub? ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/4 "2002-11-18T03:58:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Cynical \* > \*\*How bad would it have been if he suddenly gave you a backrub? \*\* Ha! I just read the “gave-a-stranger-a-backrub-in-Target-thread”. I don’t know about a backrub but if he’d given me a good enough NECK rub I just might have forgotten about the fact he creeped me out. At least for the moment. I’m a sucker for a good neck rub. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/5 "2002-11-18T05:29:43Z")
I give random strangers footrubs all the time, C. What’s your damage, man? Is that creepy??? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/6 "2002-11-18T05:50:34Z")
Well, let’s see - single adult male dressed in long black coat buying a single ticket to a KIDS MOVIE. Single adult male in long black coat sitting by himself in the middle of a theater full of KIDS at a KIDS MOVIE. It’d probably set of my “off” bells too. Although I never find myself going to kids movies, so maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/7 "2002-11-18T05:56:22Z")
Ah. Thanks, **TVGuy**. I read the OP and thought “What’s so creepy about that?” He might be… no wait… dang, that is pretty creepy. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/8 "2002-11-18T06:58:32Z")
What? What, you think he was playing with himself under the long coat? Maybe he’s just a fan of the books, or the magic/fantasy genre. I’ve often gone to Disney movies and been (so it seemed to me) the only adult present without a kid in tow. On the other hand…Gavin de Becker, that “security to the stars” guy, says you should be aware of your danger warning instincts and pay attention to them. Or maybe the guy was just enjoying a movie. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/9 "2002-11-18T09:14:08Z")
look people i just wanted to see the film and my non-black clothes were all in the washing machine. Is that such a crime??? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/10 "2002-11-18T11:12:50Z")
What? Harry Potter isn’t that much of a **kid’s movie.** Granted, I’ve never seen either films (or read the books) but from what I hear, these films have something to offer to both children and adults. We aren’t talking Power Rangers or Pokemon here, you know. Harry Potter has a pretty big following among children and adults, from what I hear. Hell, “Mary Poppins” is a **kid’s movie** , and I still enjoy seeing it. What does that prove? The thing that made this guy sound somewhat creepy to me is how he sat too still. Did I get that right? That he didn’t move much? Just _sat_ there? Because most movie-goers fiddle and move around a bit, getting comfortable and all. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/11 "2002-11-18T12:31:50Z")
There is a book called “The Gift of Fear” that goes into detail about your instincts and using them. Most people try to suppress or ignore their natural instincts these days, and it gets them into trouble. Check out the book, it’s pretty good. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/12 "2002-11-18T14:20:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > > The thing that made this guy sound somewhat creepy to me is how he sat too still. Did I get that right? That he didn’t move much? Just _sat_ there? Because most movie-goers fiddle and move around a bit, getting comfortable and all. \*\* Actually, I think that had something to do with it. He just sat still and stared right at the screen before the movie came on, even as people were coming in and walking past him. It was just ODD. He just set off my warning bells for some reason. Tomcat, I agree–“Gift of Fear” is an excellent book. It really makes you aware of your instincts that you might otherwise stifle or ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/13 "2002-11-18T20:54:21Z")
OK, this guy did absolutely nothing, and it creeped you out? I don’t get it. I was expecting your post to describe how he smelled bad, had stringy nasal drip, panted at the screen, said something weird to you while drooling, etc. Maybe the people behind you thought _you_ were creepy. “Oh man, that perfectly normal looking family in front of me have to be up to no good, I can just FEEL it!” ---
**Author:** ![Anubis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Anubis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anubis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/14 "2002-11-18T21:03:24Z")
Well, of course he was up to no good. He was watching Harry Potter. And everybody _knows_ that Harry Potter is a devil-worshipper. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/15 "2002-11-18T21:16:14Z")
Sounds like [Creepy Guy Radar](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=144160) to me. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/16 "2002-11-18T21:34:02Z")
**TVguy** Since recent stats on the first book from the publishers(abet I read this in the local paper) show that 78 million copies of the first book alone have been sold in the US- that translates to 1 in 4 Americans (since there are 281 million of us) own the book- so I don’t think it’s very odd for an adult to see it. Some people are just creepy, no matter what they’re doing. I was in line a few months ago, between two men. One was decked out Hell’s Angel style in leather and chains, the other in a polo shirt and slacks. Guess which one stuck me with the “creepy” vibe. I’m sure Mr. polo shirt was a nice enough guy, but I decided that the biker was the safer of the two to stand near to. ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/17 "2002-11-18T22:06:31Z")
Give the guy a break - maybe he gets this sort of attention everywhere he goes. It can’t be easy to walk around the streets with people staring at you and whispering all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/18 "2002-11-18T22:11:40Z")
Since _Chamber of Secrets_ is largely a special-effects vehicle, there’s a good chance the fella came to see it in some sort of psychedelically-enhanced state. Particularly if since he “sat completely still and stared at the screen until the movie came on.” Having done this myself on several occasions, it’s my best guess. Those minutes waiting for the movie to begin can be quite awkward. I like to bring a book or a magazine, because I hate to realize that I’ve just spent five minutes transfixed by that thing that the red curtain’s doing-- people tend to pick up on that sort of thing. So my guess is the guy _was_ a relatively normal, harmless fella who happened to be trippin’ at a movie. On behalf of heads everywhere, I apologize for any discomfort or anxiety you may have experienced. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/19 "2002-11-19T02:39:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > **TVguy Since recent stats on the first book from the publishers(abet I read this in the local paper) show that 78 million copies of the first book alone have been sold in the US- that translates to 1 in 4 Americans (since there are 281 million of us) own the book** 1 in 4? Wow…how does that stck up against, say, the _Encyclopedia Britannica_, or the _Bible_? ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233/20 "2002-11-19T02:53:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\* > The thing that made this guy sound somewhat creepy to me is how he sat too still. Did I get that right? That he didn’t move much? Just _sat_ there? Because most movie-goers fiddle and move around a bit, getting comfortable and all. \*\* Well, there’s your answer then. He’s a cyborg! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-total-stranger-freaked-me-out-today/137233.md?page=2)