# So I just overheard a stalker's phone call. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273 "2018-09-13T16:17:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/21 "2018-09-16T02:37:56Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Uh. It reminds me of a stunt a friend and I used to do when we were in High School. We called it the Elevator Game. > > Whenever we got on an elevator and there was some stranger in the car, we would continue to talk animatedly to each other, totally ignoring the other people present, while telling each other weird or outlandish stories of what we or people we knew had done. > > Like how my aunt had fifteen cats even though her apartment forbade pets, but she’d gotten away with it for years because she was fanatical about cleaning the litter boxes five times a day and always had incense burning, but now she’d adopted this poor little Chihuahua that had belonged to a friend who’d had to go into the mental hospital but all the cats were bullying it and she had to keep playing her television really loud ALL the time to cover the noise of the cats snarling at it and how sad she was that the dog was getting so terribly scratched up, but what could she do? > > Or how her new boyfriend had a job as a car radio spotter for a gang. He’d go to malls and shopping centers and work his way up and down the rows of cars, peering in the window, looking for particular brands of car stereos. And when he found them he’d spray an ‘R’ on the back right tire, just a few inches above the ground, and then the ‘extractors’ would come along and be able to hit car after car, zip, zip, zip and then be gone, without having to waste time finding the good ones. But the mall cops had seen him with the spray can and they were having trouble with graffiti and so they’d questioned him and when he wouldn’t say why he was walking around with a nearly empty can of spray paint they’d called the police and… > > Junk like that. Just piling on stupidity or strange decisions or whatever, one thing after another, trying to make it as outlandish as possible but _just_ not completely unbelievable. The point being just to see if we could get the fellow riders to seem like they believed us. > > No cell phones in those days, but I’d bet we’d have used them that way if we’d had them. I’ve read (but can’t find right now) that Alfred Hitchcock used to do this in his earlier days, talking about a serious argument he had with some woman. Just as the other people got out of the elevator, and as the door was closing, he’d say “and then the gun went off…” I’ve sat next behind someone (else) at a McDonald’s who was like the OP. There were plenty of fucks and bitches on his side of the conversation. If there had been any children in the room, I would have told the manager, but only after I was on my way to the parking lot. He had also obviously just gotten released from the local jail and was waiting for his ride. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/22 "2018-09-16T11:29:48Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You’re saying she was talking loud enough that every one in a busy McD’s was hearing her? That’s crazy. Do people have no shame any more. Last I heard, going to jail was a bad thing. The last time I was in a McDonald’s, a lady was talking on her phone (I guess ordering something) and read out her entire credit card number, expiration date and security code. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Roy\_Batty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Roy\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roy_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/23 "2018-09-16T12:01:56Z")
How do you know any of these phone conversations are real?! These people could just be talking to an empty phone in order to start a confrontation/get attention/freak people out. I.e., this could easily be a prank: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jsvWYWhVtsY/maxresdefault.jpg "Answering Phone LOUDLY Prank In Las Vegas!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsvWYWhVtsY) ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/24 "2018-09-17T12:46:12Z")
I really want to meet the guy and find out what’s so great about him that she’s so desperate to have him back, and get some innocent person put in prison because of it! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/25 "2018-09-17T16:17:08Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Poor guy. Poor kids. The kids I feel sorry for but to me it sounds like the guy stuck his dick into the cray-cray at least once too often. More likely twice. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/26 "2018-09-17T17:38:32Z")
[quote=“Roy\_Batty, post:23, topic:821273”] How do you know any of these phone conversations are real?! These people could just be talking to an empty phone in order to start a confrontation/get attention/freak people out. I.e., this could easily be a prank: [/QUOTE] We don’t. Either it was a real stalker, or a person with a weird sense of humor. Still weird enough to share either way. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/27 "2018-09-17T18:32:52Z")
> [@scareyfaerie](#): > > I really want to meet the guy and find out what’s so great about him that she’s so desperate to have him back, and get some innocent person put in prison because of it! What’s so great about him, from her point of view, is easy to figure out. He has very low standards, low enough that THAT got past his radar at least once. Very few guys have their sights set quite THAT low, and when a girl like her finds one, she wants to keep him. Also, you can bet that he’s a worse catch than she is. Which is pretty scary. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/28 "2018-09-17T19:07:19Z")
In today’s age of people trying to create viral videos I’m thinking the odds of it being a stunt are significantly higher than it being real. That isn’t particularly reassuring. Because as we become a more cynical society thinking “oh, they’re just trying to be the next Khardashian” we will start tuning out people who really need some societal approbation. I’m not saying bring back the days of public shaming adulterers in the stocks or scarlet letters, but social ostracization is a very powerful behavior modifier. If she was airing her dirty laundry in public then she is basically inviting comment, IMHO. Clearly the justice system hasn’t reformed her, maybe it takes a village of McDonald’s patrons to say “Leave that man alone and get yourself straightened out, for your sake and your kids sake” to get through to her. What are our duties to our fellow humans? Pulling an unattended kid out of a parked car on a hot day? Stopping a parent whipping their kid in a grocery store? Telling a stranger stalking someone and planning to frame someone else for a criminal matter is wrong and they shouldn’t do it? Do we have any duties to the other members of our society? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/29 "2018-09-17T20:41:38Z")
Yes, but some of the duties are unpopular. Duty #1: A person who is physically residing in your country is part of your society. A lot of people dislike that one, so they stop there. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/30 "2018-09-18T00:58:41Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > What are our duties to our fellow humans? Pulling an unattended kid out of a parked car on a hot day? Stopping a parent whipping their kid in a grocery store? Telling a stranger stalking someone and planning to frame someone else for a criminal matter is wrong and they shouldn’t do it? Do we have any duties to the other members of our society? That’s what that TV show I mentioned before is (sort of) about. They have actors perform a “scenario” and then see what the regular people do (if anything). I’ve only seen it a couple of times, it comes on in the middle of the night (insomniac). I remember one that involved a young woman doing something risky (agreeing to go off with some guy? I don’t remember the detail now). At least one woman told her she shouldn’t do it and offered to drive her wherever she wanted to go instead. Some people ‘mind their own business’ but sometimes somebody will step in. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/31 "2018-09-18T12:00:43Z")
After I was discharged from the ER yesterday (acute bronchitis) I sat outside waiting for my ride. A woman on the next bench down was playing loud music on her phone. Then she received a call and put it on speaker. After some confusion as to who was calling (it was her mother) she said, “Mom I’m in a bad place. I need to go back into rehab. I want to kill people.” I resisted the urge to move down another bench. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273/32 "2018-09-18T23:32:16Z")
> [@blob](#): > > That’s what that TV show I mentioned before is (sort of) about. They have actors perform a “scenario” and then see what the regular people do (if anything). I’ve only seen it a couple of times, it comes on in the middle of the night (insomniac). I remember one that involved a young woman doing something risky (agreeing to go off with some guy? I don’t remember the detail now). At least one woman told her she shouldn’t do it and offered to drive her wherever she wanted to go instead. Some people ‘mind their own business’ but sometimes somebody will step in. I saw one of those. A group of people, dressed like those FLDS people, were in a booth at a restaurant. The “parents” were telling their youn teenage “daughter” that she had to marry an older man who already had several “wives”. The daughter was reluctant, and the audible voices of the parents were telling her it was “God’s will” Also It’s the Prophet’s will" Several other diners who overheard this spoke up and remonstrated with the parents, or offered the girl sanctuary away from her “family” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-just-overheard-a-stalkers-phone-call/821273.md?page=1)