People Share What Happened When They Successfully Trusted Their Gut And Avoided Disaster
Sometimes, somebody really just gives you a terrible feeling in the pit of your stomach. You say, don't judge a book by its cover, but could it possibly save your life?
An anonymous poster asked Reddit:
People who have had a creepy feeling about someone come true, what happened?
Here were some of the stories. TW: Rape, Violence, Death.
The Start Of A Horror Movie
A random guy sat next to me at the bus stop and I instantly felt weird about it. He didn't even look at me, but I somehow knew he wasn't there to wait for the bus, he was there because of me. I was very drunk, unfortunately, and disregarded my own feelings.
He got on my bus and sat directly across from me. I ignored him for most of the ride, as I was quite out of it. I was a bit surprised when he went to get off and called to me from the door: "aren't you getting off? Hello? Are you getting off?" I didn't answer and he sat down again, but this time he put his feet on the seat next to me so I was locked in.
We went one more stop and the driver told us this was the last stop. I got off, found it a bit creepy that the guy would go off too, but thought there would be more people there as well - then I looked behind me. We were the only people left on the bus.
I stood outside the bus and thought about what I should do. I could see the guy in the corner of my eye, he was standing about 5-10 meters from me and a bit away from me, but I knew he was keeping an eye on me. The bus driver leant over to me and asked if I knew the guy. I said no. The bus driver asked me to get on again. I did, and he closed the doors behind me. The guy instantly threw himself at the doors, screaming to be let in, banging his fists at the door.
I'm very, very fortunate that my bus driver was smarter than me that day.
Why Is It Always A Bus
Not me, but my cousin. She was on an overnight greyhound bus and a man got on and many of the seats were full. He walked towards the open seat next to her and looked as if he were going to sit there and my cousin goes "you can't sit here" usually a very open and friendly person she kind of thought to herself "wow that was b*tchy of me" but she had a bad feeling about him. So the man finds another seat and my cousin falls asleep. A little while later she wakes up to the bus pulled over to the side of the road and police cars outside. The police come onto the bus and arrest the man who wanted to sit with my cousin. He had found another woman to sit with and attacked her.
Silent Plotting
Back when I was in Highschool some new kid joined. Only really interacted with him on the football field but he really rubbed me the wrong way. I'm not a small guy, I'm big enough to fend for myself so while he creeped me out, I wasn't really scared of him (I should have been, but ego gets in the way when you're a teenager)
All of a sudden, he tries to injure me in discreet ways while playing football, like stamping on my ankle, tripping me up while none of us had the ball / nobody was looking etc.
After a couple more incidents he stepped it up, a lot.
He ended up stabbing me in the face while I was reading a book. We don't know if he meant to murder me, or seriously maim me but he punched me three times with a sharpened key in his fist. Two of the blows got deflected by my glasses, which left a giant mark on the lenses and where my temple was.
Sometimes you feel off about someone but they don't look like they can really threaten you too much but in reality they can and will.
Murderous Toaster Thief
Not me, but my mom. My sister was going to visit her friend out of state, so her friend's friend offered to drive her there. He drove a few hours to get to our house and was noticeably tired when he arrived, so my sister suggested that he just sleep on our couch and they'll go in the morning. The entire night, my mom's going in and out of our rooms saying that there's something off about the guy; that she doesn't really like him but can't figure out why.
She actually quietly went out the side door and wrote down his license plate at one point. The next morning my sister's in his car for maybe 30 minutes before she feels sick and asks him to just take her home. Which he does, much to my mother's delight. About 6 months later my mom's looking at her news feed when she sees a familiar face and calls my sister and I over and yells, "I told you something was off about him!". Turns out that about a year earlier he murdered his ex-girlfriend and that his friend, who helped him bury her body, finally decided to tell the cops not because he developed a conscience, but because he was mad at him for stealing his toaster.
Running Away
My mum and I were in a café and she had her handbag down by her feet. This couple comes in and sits at the table behind us, and he attracted my attention because he kept poking his GF, telling her how to sit and stuff and just... The hairs on my neck went up, I hate that controlling bullshit. So he's in my periphery and this guy won't sit still when my mum says "hey where's my bag?"
She finds it a second later, moved and open - she reached in to get her purse and said "my card has gone!"
So the couple behind had stood and were walking at speed towards the door and I didn't even hesitate "STOP THAT MAN!" because I figured I could apologise later if I was wrong. One of the waitresses was right by the door and she followed him out the door at which point the guy dropped my mum's card mumbled something about having found it and then ran for it. I guess if he hasn't been such an arse to his GF I probably wouldn't have noticed.
Skin Suit
Hey, don't know if anyone will see this, but around middle school I started getting creeped out by my father. He wouldn't even do anything you could point to and say "That right there, that's it." But you just got the feeling he was like a spider...watching and waiting. Something lurking and dangerous.
He began running with a group called "Scam the Scammers", where they'd make scammers do ridiculous things. It was "all in good fun" because "they deserved it". Humiliating, sometimes painful things.
Teachers wouldn't call home to discuss anything we did, positive or negative. There were notes in my file to only discuss things with my mother, no matter what.
He started to become obsessed with conspiracy theories. Obama was a Kenyan Muslim, my mother was cheating on him with a woman and three men, all sorts of things.
You got the feeling something was wearing my father as a skin suit. That's the best way I can describe it.
Turns out he has an inoperable brain tumor. He's permanently changed. My father is alive, but he's no longer my dad.
Point Happy
When i was around 14 a guy started in my school. We were never really friends cause i found him very creepy, but we moved in the same circles, so i met him now and then. Something was off with him. Fast forward a few years he stabbed a guy to death cause he wouldn't give him a cigarette. When he got out of prison he found god in a burning bush on a mountain, and became a devoted christian. Then he stabbed another guy to death for unknown reasons. Don't know what became of him after that.
Toxic Online Culture
Not me, but my friend talks about his experience all the time.
My Friend had a very off feeling about some guy in his Computer Science class. At the start of the semester, the professor went around the class and insisted everyone introduce themselves, as well as explain why they chose to take Computer Sciences. Everyone responded very generically "Computers are cool" and "Its a growing industry" but not this guy.
His response was "There's not a lot of girls in this class". From that point on, he was quiet and kept to himself. He was balding, dressed poorly, had bad hygiene and was always on his laptop.
Last year, that very same guy rented a van and ran over 26 people. Killing 10 and injuring 16. At the end of his rampage, he attempted suicide by cop but was unsuccessful. His Facebook revealed he praised Elliot Rodger and was an active member of a 4Chan incel group (a misogynistic virgin cult). His hatred for women and sexually successful men reached a climax when he committed the deadliest terror attack in Canadian history, all because he couldn't get laid.
Intuition
Not something that happened to me, but my mum. She just had a random feeling that she should visit my grandma one Thursday after getting off work. Usually she'd just put it off and do it during the weekend but for some reason, she did it because she felt something was odd.
She arrived to see my grandma laying in her bed bleeding from her head. Apparently my grandma had fallen down before that and managed to pull herself back into bed. Ambulance was called and everything went fine after. My whole family shudders at what would have happened if my mum decided not to.
Just This Feeling
When I was in high school I worked at an Orange Julius with a girl. I was working there from the ages of 15 to 17. This girl was in her early twenties and her boyfriend was around her age. Every time he came in I never said hi to him I never talk to him I just got this very eerie terrible feeling about him, and around the age 15 I had learned to listen to this feeling.
Growing up in the ghetto can make you very vigilant. Anyways so I never talked to this guy while my other co-workers say hi talk to him all the normal nice things most do with their coworkers significant others when they frequent their work. I ended up leaving the job at 17. She left awhile before me.
I went down to the police station one day to do something (I don't remember) and saw our Most Wanted people up on a board and I was looking at them and saw her boyfriend's face. He was wanted for murder, he had murdered her. I'll never forget the chills that ran down my back when I read that. Still get them when I tell the story.
Serial Raccoon
I took a year off my junior year in college to co-op/intern at a company. This one research scientist i worked with seemed normal, but there was just something slightly off with how he interacted with people - like, ad if there was less emotion behind his interactions with his colleagues. A lot of us nerdy engineers have our own quirks, i know i do, so i didn't really think about it much.
The time i really stopped and thought to myself how something seemed off though was when i asked him about a picture of a raccoon on his desk. He went into this story about how he and his family had found a baby raccoon, raised it ad part of their family like a dog, etc. He then talked about how he had to kill it for whatever reason. So this happened 10 years ago so i dont remember the exact specifics, but i do remember thinking that the way he described it seemed odd considering he was talking about having to kill a family pet.... i grew up on a farm and am accustomed to people having to put their dogs/horses/etc. down, yet this guy didnt seemed to have the same reverence that most people do. Anyway, if i had to put a word to it, at the time i felt like the guy had no empathy.
Literally one week (two weekends) after the raccoon story he goes on an murder spree. Other than a colleague telling me Monday morning, nobody ever talked about it. Such a weird experience.
Creepy Compartmentalizing
A guy in one of my college classes seemed off to me. I don't know why. Just weird little things ... like one time there was spilled water on the ground and he ended up putting his bag in it. He noticed, but pretended there was nothing wrong. Left it there for the entire duration. Then, when class was over he didn't move from his seat. And stayed there after everyone left. I thought it was so odd. A few months later, he was arrested for killing his mother. He was found playing video games while her body decomposed in the next room.
Scary And Magnetic
This is creepy in a different way than most here, but I think it's relevant. 20 years ago, when I was a practicing Christian, my church got a new priest. He may as well have been God himself the way people fawned over him. I liked him at first too. Then, after a few brief conversations, I got this feeling that his entire life was a major power trip, and he was in no way cut out to lead a congregation of actual human beings.
After he made an off-the-cuff remark to me about being divorced (the shock!) I was like, "Later dude" and transferred to another church. People thought I was nuts, because how could I not adore Father Perfect the way they did?
After a few months, I noticed a trickle of people from my former parish in my new church, and that trickle eventually became more like a flood.
"Father Perfect" had formerly been a highly respected surgeon with a God complex, and he was quite used to giving orders and having them carried out without question (as I would imagine is necessary in a surgical suite). Not the best quality for a man of the cloth.
Eventually he drove out several deacons, the choir leader, the sexton, and about half the congregation. He put a message on the church answering machine about what types of messages could and couldn't be left. Total control freak who apparently mistook himself for God. He finally left after the parish completely fell apart.
A Near Miss
Well, i guess i was the one the creepy feeling was about.. When i was little i always slept in a crib at my parents house. My Dad was always vast asleep and nothing could wake him up fast. One night as i have heard, he just woke up in the middle of the night, screaming my name. Ran to my bed and picked me up. Turned around and as he walked away lightning hit the roof and the window broke and fell on the bed i was sleeping in.
Over The Shoulder
Oh I have a story for this! When I was 15, my two friends and I went to the movies to watch a 18+ horror movie. I sat on a bench next to the escalator while they went to buy tickets, because we were already rejected that morning (I was very obviously under 18). I had a strange feeling that the guy who sat next to me was taking pictures of me, but ignored it because thought I wasn't attractive enough to gain attention, placed it under being paranoid. My friends came back, we went up the escalator and while I was making a joke about the guy following me as we reached the top floor, my friends ran.
Turns out, he actually was following me with his two very large friends. They looked for us while I hid in the arcade nex to the cinema, we sneaked past them and regroup, then told the cinema security about the men (who were standing at the entrance, still looking for us).
Three/four cinema security workers stood next to our hall entrance while we watched the movie that none of us could focus on because we were so shaken up by it. Gave me hope in humanity for all the help we got. c:
We often find ourselves having to guess how to make things work and make things fit--in our lives, but also just in our possessions. Will these pants fit me? These shoes?
Will this screw fit my table? Will this charger fit my phone?
If everything was somehow standard, wouldn't it all be so much easier?
u/DigiQuip asked:
What's something that's not standardized but should be?
Here were some of those answers.
No More Vanity Sizes
Sizes for clothing.
Especially for shoes. How hard would it be to just list the sizes in centimeters (or inches if you're American)?
WHY DO WE USE STANDARD MEASUREMENTS FOR OUR CLOTHES, BUT THEY ARE DIFFERENT SIZES IN DIFFERENT BRANDS???
Calvin Klein's men's slacks: 32'' waist
Bar III men's slacks: 32'' waist
Perry Ellis slacks: 32'' waist
THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT WAIST SIZES. WHYY?!?!?!?!
Ah Yes, Three Chilis
There's a standard for chili heat levels (the Scoville scale), but food manufacturers never use it. Instead, they use a varying number of chili icons which mean nothing at all.
It's always fun going to like a Thai restaurant in Canada and trying to figure out whether the chili icon means Thai spicy or Canadian spicy.
Ah Yes, This Could Kill Me
Household electrical voltages and sockets.
Interestingly enough, there was an attempt: since 1986, there is an international standard socket, IEC 60906-1. However, only South Africa has implemented it so far.
And it is unlikely it will ever be implemented in other countries, as the EU is even advising against it since 2017:
REFIT found that "the harmonisation of plug and socket outlet systems in Europe, by introducing changes in national wiring legislations (would have) important transitional periods (above 75 years)", and that the cost to "replace the old socket-outlets (and the corresponding plugs of the appliances being used)" was estimated at 100 billion Euro, "generating a huge environmental impact, producing some 700 000 tons of electrical waste".[3] REFIT does not recommend harmonising the plugs and socket-outlet systems in Europe.
Can we just get a little consistency here? Please?!
No Stacks
After working in a grocery store, can diameters should only come in a maybe 4 sizes. And they should all stack.
But they don't. They never do.
I feel your pain. I hate those narrow jars and cans that are slightly narrower than 3 wires of the shelf so they tip over if you don't place them perfectly.
A Computer Mouse, Not A Little Baby Mouse
Modern rechargable batteries.
We spent years with standard size batteries. We are now stuck with proprietary batteries which aren't designed to be user replaceable and often dictate the life of the device.
Yes absolutely. I found this fact especially annoying when looking for a mouse. Most of the more expensive mice come with rechargeable batteries, and it seems that modern tech reviewers are claiming this is better than some standard double A.
All Standard, Yet None Standard
I worked in a hardware store long enough to learn that apparently everything is standardized.
"I need window screens."
Okay, what are your dimensions?
"It's a standard size window."
─
"I'm looking for a replacement ceiling fan."
Okay, do you want small blades, large blades? A modest 30" span or a robust 56"?
"Just standard size."
─
"Do you think this large, bulky, cumbersome commodity will fit in my vehicle?"
I don't know. How big your truck?
"It's a standard one."
protip: it's a sedan. it's always a sedan.
Welp, Here's Your Problem
Based on years of helping my Dad in his shop, doing bodywork on vehicles - fastenings. Bolts, screws. rivets, clips... the sheer amount of specialized fastenings and required tools is insane. Even the variety of types in single vehicles is excessive.
Not to mention many of them are so cheaply made that there is no reusing them.
So Many Sign Languages
Not necessarily something that should be standardised because it would affect many cultures negatively, but I've always wondered what it would be like if every country just spoke one language. Sign language should probably be standardised, but re-learning sign language for people who use it may be difficult and time-consuming
Perhaps We Need To Rethink Policing
Police responses to missing persons across the nation, and the information requirements for police reports to be filled out with specific and complete information at the first point of contact by the person reporting the missing person, regardless of the age, status, or suspected reason for disappearing.
Police should NEVER be allowed to decide a case isn't valid at the first point of contact.
A Recipe For A Lint Fire
The laundry exhaust receptacle in homes should be centered exactly eighteen inches (45.7cm) from the floor with eighteen inches (or 45.7 cm) of clearance on both sides.
The exhaust duct of a clothes dryer should be in the middle of the back of the machine, and centered eighteen inches/45.7 cm from the floor. The dryer should have adjustable feet to allow for slight errors in measurement.
Once this is done, a laundry dryer can be pushed into the wall and we won't need to craft a length of ducting to connect the two.
Just a little bit of sameness and consistency could really go a long way here.
Some things ought not be tried again.
Sure, they made sense the first time. It may have held charm, at least some sense of purpose on the second go around. But eventually, surely, an essential truth became clear: never again.
Reddit is apparently crawling with people carrying around that permanent grudge towards some thing they've done in the past.
Lucky for us, we can learn from their mistakes.
senorllama57 asked, "What is something you will never do again?"
There were, of course, plenty of people who discussed horrible jobs they've held in the past. They may have had little choice at the time, but now that it's all in the past they feel free to share how they really felt.
The Customer Always Seems To Be Wrong
"Work retail. I think every kid fresh out of high school should work a retail job for a year. It builds character." -- ProfessionalTheme415
"How did you get out!?! Lol. It's like a black hole where I work. Everyone that tries to leave comes back." -- threebillion6
A Lot Going On
"Work in a nursing home. The sights, screams and pleas Will haunt me forever." -- M_Lamora
"Honestly working in a nursing home was one of the most weird jobs I ever had. I've never been threatened so many times in my life. I once had a memory care resident ask me if I would help her jump a caregiver."
One After Another
"Work in a call center." -- Evilsmurfkiller
"Sucked the soul right out of me within a year." -- Bandana-mal
"I was at one for 2 and half years and it was not until I left I realized I had work-related depression. I was overeating, not eating, sleep deprived, slept all the time, I had such rage that would come out at times...
"I did not care what happened to me, I left because they were gonna fire me over something dumb because they just fire people for being there long. I left over a year ago, and I have not been this happy to wake up every day in years, my life is so much better now." -- UnusualLight0
Others discussed past struggles they've encountered within the romantic realm. Unfortunately, these lessons came with plenty of emotional struggle.
Committing
"Get married. It'll be 19 years this August and my marriage is my marriage. I reserve the right to have a girlfriend at some point if she passes away before I do, but she's the one and only wife, end of story."
-- StChas77
Stay Attuned
"Ignore red flags when talking to someone I want to date. I've done it twice now, and both times sucked" -- YareYareYandere
"Listen to your gut. If something feels off, you're probably not imagining it." -- SurealGod
Don't Forget About You
"Okay first off I'm sorry if this might sound cringe :D . . . That would be hmm become too attached/codependent on a person. Whether it may be of a lover, friend, or just acquaintance."
"Idk if it's coincidence but they either end up gone one day or become total di**s when you least expect it and I'm forced to cut ties."
And some people chose to recall the things they were so certain would be fun and enjoyable, but turned out to be so not.
A Bad Ratio
"I made a super elaborate meal once. It was ... okay. Certainly not worth the effort involved." -- Astramancer_
"Take an hour to make something, only takes 15 minutes to eat. It's bullsh**." -- SurealGod
Hours and Hours
"Times Square on New Years' Eve. It was fun once, never need to do it again." -- AnswerGuy301
"I was going to answer the same thing. It seemed like it would be so much fun but now that I know what it entails — never again" -- hi_its_me
"I have never been and never understood the attraction of waiting for hours and hours in the shivering weather." -- amrodd
Think of Grease Splatters
"Prepare steaks when drunk" -- Kiaulunne
"Not for your reason, but same here. Cooked one at 2am after half a bottle of rum. Quickly ate and passed out after. Woke up around 8am dying for water and realised I left the gas stove on... So glad nothing burned down..." -- schofield101
Turning Point
"I will never get drunk again. Tipsy, buzzed, sure. Thats fine."
"But when I was in front of that toilet for an hour, being so weak I couldn't even sit up, having people constantly come in to check on me, worrying that I might have alcohol poisoning, that is exactly not a fun time"
-- Raemnant
So take some notes! Or maybe there were some true horrors you went through that this list seems to be lacking.
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You know what they say, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions". Because the people who have our best interests in mind typically have good intentions when they give us advice, but there's a chance that that advice can go horribly wrong.
Try not to follow the bad advice given here, because you don't want to get the results that these guys did.
U/Duckerton375 asked: What's the worst advice someone ever gave you, but you still followed?
The workplace can bring a cornucopia of terrible advice. Don’t follow these unless you want to get fired.
​Bad jobs are usually not worth it.
Stick with a job no matter how bad it is. I stayed with a terrible job working retail, dealing with horrible customers and sexual harassment. I was told I wouldn't find anything better.
"No, no, you misunderstand. I said you wouldn't find anything better at making you feel like complete garbage."
This gets really creepy really fast.
frustrated workplace GIFGiphy"After you put in a job application, you need to call them at least once a day every day until they hire you."
Note: this did not get me hired. It got me called out by the HR person I was calling and forbidden to ever contact their facility again.
I work for a law firm that employees over 1500 people in the home office alone. Once I received a call from the building security saying, "Insert Name is here to speak with the owner." Well we are run by a committee so that's odd. Found out they just applied for a job and wanted to talk directly to the person that would potentially hire them. Told him the firm will contact them to schedule an interview. They refused to leave without "talking to the owner." Had security escort them out of the building.
​This is absolutely not true.
"Sleep is for people who do not want success" great words from my uncle, it almost killed me.
Now I may be oversleeping.
​Interpersonal relationships are also a big breeding ground for terrible advice. Don’t listen to any of these.
Heartbreaking.
My father always tought me and my brother that "having friends is bad and in the end they will never be there for you" so everytime I told my father about my friends he would get kinda mad and give me the advice to stop talking to them.
Now I am afraid of people and have several trust issues, thanks dad.
​This won’t end well.
A Christmas Story GIF by filmeditorGiphyIn the fifth grade my teacher was talking about bullying, then she said "if anyone tries to bully you just agree with them." So the next time I got bullied I agreed with the bully and they bullied me more.
Dude one time I saw an anti bullying video that told the victims to just BE NICE TO THE BULLY. Like the bully was hurling insults and the victim was smiling and complimenting him. My first thought was about how much I hated the mere thought that this would work. My second thought was of how the people who came up with that method had clearly never been bullied.
​Oof.
When I met my now wife at the age of 19, one of my coworkers said that it's very important to start at the bottom with presents and work your way up, she still has the socks I gave her on our first anniversary on the wall over our bed as a reminder...
I'm still trying to teach my boyfriend about good presents and bad presents. Biscuits from the supermarket = bad present. Cheap unbranded laptop battery from China as my only present = bad present (and only lasted 2 months). Anything off my 7-page wishlist = good present. It's literally a list of things I want to receive as presents.
​Can tell you from experience that this is a bad idea.
Had a falling out with some friends. My husband recommended I reach out to an old friend who ghosted me suddenly in a manner that induced some pretty severe abandonment trauma. Went for it anyways because "it's been so long, surely they changed". Am now experiencing the same things as last time.
When you follow bad advice, it can lead to mistakes that you just can’t come back from.​
Buying a house is tricky.
for sale dancing GIF by Lisa VertudachesGiphy"Buy a home now before the prices go up!" -my FIL in 2006.
We bought in 2007 and paid $259,500 for our 1,300 sq ft house (we really couldn't afford it and had an 80/20 so we had 8% interest for one loan and 6% on the other) and in 2008 it was worth $97,000 so refinancing wasn't even an option. We watched all of our neighbors walk away or get foreclosed on but we kept paying our bills and as of this very moment our house is worth $462,000. I'm so happy we stuck it out, we both worked our @sses off and the house will be paid off in 2 years.
It worked out for us, it's a horrible idea. Especially since 1300 sq ft houses are $460+k
My heartbreaks for future generations, I honestly don't know how people are going to afford housing in the future.
It’s there for a reason.
"Never apply for any government assistance."
Cue years of suffering trying to work full-time with a painful disability. Quit a particularly terrible job, and wanted to apply for food aid until I could find another gig; a friend with lots of DHS experience recommended I apply for Social Security "just to get in the system." Turns out my disability was bad enough to get accepted the first time, which I wasn't expecting. Really could've used that support, oh, the 30+ previous years of my life.
Credit is important to have.
I was told to not get a credit card until after college. I was super fortunate to have my college paid for so I had no loans, car paid in cash, no credit card or anything to start building credit. Found myself out in the world at 22 years old with a credit score of 0.
So while a lot of this bad advice came from trusted people, oftentimes they were too misinformed to give that advice in the first place. Don't trust the word of one person--do your research, and make decisions for yourself.
It'll be way better in the long run
Every once in awhile, somebody comes along, enters your life, and catapults themselves to that awful, unique position at the top of your list of the worst people you have ever met.
Sometimes, the person's blindingly terrible behavior and overall essence is actually impressive. We ask ourselves, "how could a person like this actually exist on purpose?"
Alas, they do. And you have to deal with them. Or, if your lucky, you can carve out some distance.
Redditors shared descriptions of the worst people they've ever had the misfortune to meet. Some have escaped the relationship. Some are are still stuck in the clutches.
LoneStar202 asked, "Who is the worst person you have ever met?"
Some chose to talk about the acquaintances they simply couldn't help but encounter. External circumstances beyond their control made the stars align in the worst way possible.
Keeping the Peace
"There was this guy who used to come into the McDonald's where I did security overnight (yes, that's a job), and he was the biggest ahole I've ever met in my life."
"Ginger, 5'6 or so, named Colby, had a perpetual scowl on his face, looked for any reason to start a fight with anyone. He and his friend would come in when it's super busy, not order, and then yell at the staff that he paid and wasn't given a receipt in the hopes that they'd give him free food rather than deal with him."
"I kicked him out for six months on two separate occasions for coming in drunk and throwing things, drinking beer in the restaurant, starting fights, you name it. Only got in my face once and I never had to fight him, but I'm much bigger than him and the law is on my side."
"Not that I would necessarily have won. I'm big and strong, but I have no idea how to fight and he did. I called his bluffs because I was pretty sure he wouldn't attack me and he didn't."
"Funny, I just realized I've finally forgotten his last name. Not that I'd mention it. He might be less of a @ss now and he's no longer my business."
-- Shippo-chan
You Know 'Em
"I work with a real life, archetypal, Karen. She's two-faced, mean, anti-vax, and just generally the whole nine. The first interaction I ever had with her she had to make fun of me behind my back for being a dude with earrings."
"Recently kicked up a stink by making an 'anonymous' email address and emailing our HR department saying people were discriminating against folks not getting the covid vaccine.
"Luckily she's burned too many bridges for anyone to really take her crazy anymore but man is she frustrating to deal with."
Others discussed the family members that, for obvious reasons, they were forced to put up with for years and years. But even family isn't enough to keep a person like that around.
Marrying Into It
"It sounds cliche, but my ex-MIL. What made her the worst is that she was a covert POS."
"We always lived about 1k miles from them, so I didn't pick up on it for far, far too long, but goddamn, I've never met anyone with as much unacknowledged hate and cruelty in their heart."
A Thing of the Past
"My father. Cheater, never paid child support, verbally abusive to my mother, sister and I. Just all around bad dude."
"Haven't talked to him in about 15 years and am 100% ok with that."
-- itsdjc
So Many Problems
"My brother. He's like a cross between Kramer (Seinfeld, 'my newest thing' and mannerisms) and Frank from Its Always Sunny (illegal activity and completely illogical 'logic')."
"He's ripped me off for thousands of dollars (getting close to 5 figures). Constantly stealing anything he can, but claims 'borrowed' if caught with it. Been to jail 3 times and is currently on house arrest after over a year of probation violations. "
"The epitome of 'easier to say sorry than ask permission' (but the apologies are hollow) and 'what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine.' No consideration for anyone or anything. Manages to break virtually anything he touches. Hasn't had a job in over 1.5 years, but has been trying to fraudulently collect unemployment."
"Constantly thinks everyone is out to get him and people are stalking the camper he lives in (has security cameras that he watches frequently and often 'patrols' the area). Tries to break into locked doors and safe, and pulls the 'why don't you believe/trust me' line."
"I'm just scratching the surface here. He'd use your clippers/razor to shave his family jewels and not clean up the mess (something he's done multiple times)."
-- ChuckoRuckus
Finally, there were the stories of classmates. Whether it was high school, college, or even graduate school, there were enough people there all in one place that one or two rotten people were never far away.
Crash Landing
"Guy from my high school was a wannabe thug. He ended up going to juvi junior year. After a year of juvi. He became a true criminal. Broke into people's homes. Stole from stores and got heavy into drugs."
"Then he eventually died after robbing the wrong store at gunpoint. The owner came out the back and shot him with a shotgun."
Wait for the Twist
"My gf's college classmate. Narcistic. Thought of himself as very important so he came into the church where we were graduating, on his HORSE. He damaged a 1000 or something-year-old church floor in Leiden. He thinks he didn't do anything wrong."
"And the weird thing is, we were graduating LAW SCHOOL"
Ride Like Lightning, Crash Like Thunder
"I had a classmate who wanted to become a stock broker and a millionaire. He said more than once, with absolute pride, 'When I'm rich I wont donate a single penny to the poor!' I asked him why and he said 'I have my own problems, and the poor being poor is not one of them.' "
"He opened his own business when he was 23 and was pretty successful, but suddenly a fire burned the place down while he was in it and he suffered from third degree burns all over his body."
"He later confessed setting the fire himself and was found guilty on insurance fraud. He's only 24 now and his professional life is basically over."
-- Sadlycoris
A Sudden Shift
"A teacher I once had. Didn't know me. Never spoke to me much."
"One day just randomly snapped at me. Yelling at me telling me that I had no future, that all the awards I got were to go to waste, that I the article I published which I spent hours working on and submitted didn't matter. That even though I was 14 and had many great achievements, I would end up just like that said teacher."
"Worst person I have ever encountered. Did collateral damage to my life as now I am a high school student with no more ambition. Wanna be a journalist? Wanna be a writer? A lawyer? Not anymore buddy."
Hopefully, you don't have too many of these people in your own life. But, let's face it, there's one or two people on your mind right now.
Here's hoping you managed to let go and get away.
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