Life is full of witnesses. So many we love and so many are names and faces we'll never see again. But whether we know them or not... they will always leave an impression. Strangers are brought to us by divine intervention once and awhile. Often we neglect to recognize the moment. But the memory can be everlasting. And remember.... we are strangers for others as well.
Redditor u/checkb4wreck wanted to know from everyone about the time they met that one person that left a definite impression by asking.... Who is one stranger you remember?
She was classy!
GiphyI danced with a stranger in a club in Tokyo who, by the look of her dance style, was Brazilian. She was probably 80 years young and boy did she have moves! This was my first time dancing with a stranger and her vibes were something I'll never forget. She was classy! iseewokepeople
Blue Eyes.
A boy with blue eyes. I walked down the hallway at school and looked him right in the eyes. I never forgot. That was 10 years ago or something.
He stayed a stranger until last year, when I became friends with a girl that wanted me to meet her friends too. Now that boy with the blue eyes is my best friend. kate9819
On the Bus.
When I was about 13 or 14 my phone ran out when I was waiting for a bus, but I realized my bus wasn't arriving for two hours as it was a Sunday night and I don't live in a big city, so bus times are varied.
I knew I had to call my parents but I was very shy and too nervous to ask anybody. But a really lovely mother noticed I was looking very anxious and came and asked if i was okay. She let me use her phone, but then she also stayed with me until my bus came because it was late at night and she didn't want me there alone.
I think about her a lot. She was so caring and loving. SylvieDonlan
Just Mad.
GiphyThe lady on my plane (I'm a flight attendant) who got really mad I gave her too much coffee and then poured it into the seat back pocket.
I realized that day that some people will get mad at whatever they can. And there's nothing I can do about that. AggressiveKaizen
Bless innocent dumb children.
Once a little girl (around 6-7) years old came into our precinct and confessed that she had cheated on her math test and was ready to go to jail for it. A colleague of mine explained her the situation and that she won't go to jail. The colleague made her a hot chocolate and called her parents so that they could pick up their daughter.
Bless innocent dumb children. GerCop
The Odd brains.
My mom, dad and I were driving across Canada to Ontario to see family when I was about 6 (26 now). We were stopped for the night at an RV park for the night, and I ended up playing on the playground with a little girl the same age as me. Her dad came over in a cut off sleeve t-shirt and shorts and pushed us on the merry-go-round. Once he left, I VIVIDLY remember telling her that I had pictured her dad in a suit when she had talked about him, and her telling me that she'd never seen her dad in a suit. Bizarre the things our kid-brains remember. thats-amore
Around San Jose with Paul.
About 15 years ago, an ex-gf, a buddy of mine, and I went to downtown San Jose to go bar hopping. While walking, we were talking about the movie Sin City, and a guy who had just passed us spins around and introduces himself as "Paul Vasquez." Tells us he's an actor (no, none of the Paul Vasquez's on IMDB are him). Says he heard us talking about Sin City, and wanted to let us know that he's in town filming a movie called "The Underground" with Mickey Rourke (this movie does not exist).
Says he heard us talking about Sin City, and wanted to let us know that he's in town filming a movie called "The Underground" with Mickey Rourke (this movie does not exist). Says he wants to show us his headshot, and that it's in his car (friend and gf didn't want to go, but I was feeling adventurous). He pops his trunk and it is FULL of headshots, but none of them his. Men and women of all sorts. He then offers to buy us all drinks at a bar, and he's gonna call up Mickey so we can "go hang in his hotel."
Well, we weren't about to go into a weird hotel with this loon, but we did plan on going to a bar anyways, so we went. My friend tells the bartender that we don't know this guy, and if he tries to stick us with the bill, we're not paying. Minutes later, Paul Vasquez is literally thrown out the door by security, and disappears into the night, yelling back to us "don't worry! I'll call Mickey, and we can go hang with him later!" WhiskyAndWitchcraft
Dear Erin,
GiphyErin C.
We were at the beach in NC. Met you in the pool. We seemed to hit it off. Every time I listen to Comedown by Bush I still think of you.
This had to be somewhere about 20 years ago. God... I'll never forget you. tekhnomancer
Toby.
GiphyI was doing volunteering to time at a swimming event, I also had to check the swimmers in (ask for their name and make sure it matched the one on the list), this dude comes up and I ask what his name is and he's like "Toby, what's yours?" So I check the list to make sure it's the right one and I'm totally blanking our so I didn't really process his question so I just said "I don't know." And off he went to swim.
I'm still cringing at myself for that one. Toby, if you're out here, hi I guess? -koi
You the Best.
I remember my family and I were at Applebee's or something (don't remember) and I found a wallet next to me. I didn't think of it until a few minutes later a woman came by our table and asked have they seen a wallet. I picked up the wallet and gave it to the woman. The woman gave me a five dollar bill to show gratitude. thatonegirlonreddit5
Shanghai....
GiphyI used to work at an animal hospital where we boarded animals. One dog, Shanghai, a pittbull/sharpei mix, was a regular. One day, walking downtown, I saw her on a walk with her owner. She broke free and ran to me with kisses. The utter confusion on her owner's (who I'd never met) face was hilarious and memorable. I explained how I knew her, and all was well, but a funny experience nonetheless. thewildlifer
"shoo"
I drove a moped around Thailand last year and went to a place called Monkey Mountain. As soon as I arrived at the top of the mountain I was surrounded by 30+ monkeys looking for food, drinks, and whatever that was in my moped. The monkeys were all over me (jumping, scratching, pulling my hair) so I got off my moped, parked it, locked the seat and went further up the mountain to see the scenery.
Upon my return, one of the larger dominant males had stayed behind and ripped open my seat and chewed a massive hole in the upholstery. He was close to opening the locked seat when I started yelling and throwing my hands in the air. That didn't do anything so I tried getting closer, making myself look larger, yelling, etc and nothing worked. I finally got too close and the monkey opened his mouth to reveal 2 large teeth- easily 3 inches long. The teeth worried me so I backed off. By this time the monkey has broken the seat opened and is reaching for my things.
Just as I thought my stuff was long gone, suddenly a Buddhist Monk appeared behind me. Without me even saying anything he leisurely walked up to the moped and made a silent "shoo" motion to the monkey about 7 feet away. The monkey casually just gets up like he wasn't doing anything and walks away. I yelled "Thank you!" to the monk and he gave me a smile/nod and kept walking like a total baddie. gretschhandler
Harriet.
A woman named Harriet at a coffee shop. I let her cut in line because I had a large order. After she ordered she joined all her friends who were there to celebrate her birthday. She was absolutely beaming during their celebration. She was really nice and it was probably her 72nd birthday if I had to guess. I still ask myself 'what would Harriet do?' when I'm trying to be an optimist about life. Idk why but she was just that pleasant. quitefranklyidk
PM me please......
10 months ago, I got into a horrific motorcycle accident and found myself laying on the street dying. The ground was scorching as I live in Arizona where we often have temperatures pushing 120° F. I was being cooked alive by the pavement until a passerby jumped out of his work truck, picked me up and put me on a moving blanket. I don't remember his face but I remember his actions.
He called an ambulance and waited with me until they came. Whoever you are, thank you. You deserve more than a comment on reddit. If for some reason you are reading this, PM me please. I still have your moving blanket.
Edit: My wreck happened between Recker and McDowell on the 202 in the 90° curve. Not sure if that might help find this guy. cacuca2
be clean....
GiphyWhen I was graduating high school, my mom took me to get a suit for the ceremony. I remember thinking the girl at the checkout counter was really cute, and only a year or two older than I was. Being the obnoxious teen I was, I tried to act cool, and pretend my mom wasn't there.
Of course my mom was having none of that, and made sure to tease me in front of her about how messy my room was and how I never hung up my clothes. The cashier laughed, and told me "she's right you know; girls like guys who are neat and tidy."
Needless to say, I went beet red and was mortified at not only being teased by my mom, but also by a random cute girl. But ever since that day, I have always tried to make sure my room is clean and that I actually care for my clothes.
Thank you random cashier for helping me be a better, cleaner person. mekanikstik
That One Moment...
My best friend died and when I was leaving the experience on a plane, I had been up all night drinking and crying. I was a nervous wreck on the plane but I was trying to keep it together. I put my head against the seatback in front of me during the take off. I felt so unsafe and alone. She put her hand on my back the whole take off. It was the most comforting thing. She had a cat in a crate and once were off of the ground, she took it out and let me hold it. This was 15 years ago but I will never forget her. KristenKutThroat
Pretty solid.
I was on a flight from Europe back to the US to visit home. It was me, my wife and our 6 month old baby. We were sitting next to some Swiss dude who was really friendly. We chatted a bit when we weren't busy with diapers and doing baby things. At any rate, we had a 5 hour layover in DC and about 2 hours into the layover I hear someone yelling, "hey, excuse me." It was Swiss guy. He was sitting in a restaurant and saw us walking by.
He wanted to tell us that we had forgotten our baby's blanket on the plane but he remembered that we were flying on to Dallas after our layover so he found out which terminal/gate our flight was leaving from and took the blanket it there and gave it to the gate staff with a hand-written description of us for the staff and a hand-written note for us. Pretty solid. mejok
Over Beers.
In college my roommate pissed me off for not doing chores, so I left in anger and went to the bar right by my apartment. Say down next to this older gentleman, and we chatted over beer.
The dude goes on to tell me he trains professional sled dogs in Alaska and was down visiting family.
And he was telling me all about how you train these dogs and the weather you have to endure, it was honestly really cool. Eventually we finished our beers and went our deer ate ways. And I still think about him from time to time. JumboKraken
The Old People.
I opened a door for a super old guy and his wife. The guy stopped, gently touched my arm, and said, "I've lived in this town for 92 years and not once has anyone opened a door for me. Bless you." He gave me a giant, toothless smile shuffled into the building. His wife gave my arm a pat and a big smile as she walked in after him. I was in a really bad place psychologically, and that was the first positive interaction I had had with anyone in months. It made me sob with happiness. I think of that guy often and I wonder how he is doing. LaunchesKayaks
Thanks God.
GiphyAn old, homeless-looking man once approached me, while I was eating a sandwich, and said "how come we cant eat grass like sheep do?" And I responded "well, they have different digestive systems." And he said "OH, so its GOD'S FAULT is it!?" I mean... I guess? Magmafrost13
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.