Reddit user direwolf107 asked the folks at r/AskReddit about their profound encounters with strangers, and got some wonderful answers.
10.
I was about 16 and getting the bus home from school. It was always super crowded and and you'd be really lucky to get a spot on before the driver closed the doors and drove off. You could wait 4 or 5 buses before one came along that you could get on.
Anyway, me and my friends had been really lucky that day and managed to squeeze on to the first one, just about. The lady behind us started begging to be let on, saying she had a job interview. The bus driver said he was sorry, but the legally couldn't because of how many people were on. He kept asking us to move down but there wasn't any room and people were starting to get mad and telling him to just go. The woman started sobbing. It was about 2010 so we'd all been hit really hard with the economic crash, and jobs were hard to come by.
Like, it broke my heart. It was the first time I'd really seen an adult publicly in such distress. So my friend and I just got off and she got on. We didn't even look at her or exchange any words. The bus was free for teenagers, all we lost was 30 minutes that we would have normally waited anyway. But my parents were fairly comfortable, I'd never had to face how bad things were before. It feel like a big moment for me.
I still think about her from time to time. I hope she's okay, I hope she got that job. I can't imagine how it must have felt to be that desperate.
9.
I was on my way back from Disneyland Paris, sat in the airport and a guy beside me was typing away on his laptop. A little curious at what he was writing I peeked over and saw the title "the last letter I'll ever write". I was frozen for a few minutes, im 24 and I had absolutely no idea what to do. I thought maybe he was a writer and if I ask ill look stupid. Eventually though I turned round to him and said, "Look man, I really hope I'm making a fool of myself, but are you OK?".
Turns out he and his long term partner had broken up, and they were meant to be coming on this holiday, that he'd now come on with his dad. He blamed himself, and he'd been going to therapy for a while to get out of a a pretty dark place but some days were better than others, and writing the letters was an exercise from his therapist.
We chatted for a bit, about her, his dad, me, life in general. Turned out his brother lived nearby me and frequented a coffee shop right by where I used to live.
Eventually my plane got called, and we hugged and I told him I really hope things get better for him and that at the very least I'd had a lovely time talking to him. We left there and I still wonder what happened to him. I hope he's happy now, I hope that he's managed to find some good in the world again. But I guess I'll never know for sure.
8.
When I was a kid, I flew by myself for the first time. At the airport, when I was about to check in, I spotted an elderly lady looking at me. Deeply. At first I thought I accidentally hit her or something, so I asked if she needed anything. She nodded. Didn't give it much importance so I just checked in and headed to my plane. Later, already on the plane, I see the very same lady, looking for her seat. Of course I helped her and asked her what number her seat was. She handed me her ticket. "B37". I'll never forget it because I was the C37. She sat right next to me. I was scared. I was a kid, and I wasn't used to coincidences. Anyway, long flight.
When we arrived and were waiting for the plane to land for us to head out, she finally says "You know, you really look like my daughter, I even thought you were her! But she passed away 5 years ago, silly me. Here, this is her with my grandkids". She handed me her phone with a zoomed in picture. I was paralyzed when I saw her.
She looked EXACTLY like me. But she was 28 and I was 10. I couldn't even talk. Now that I am older, every time I look in the mirror for my birthday, I remember that lady and the picture. I am a living photo of her daughter. Every year that goes by, is a year that I look more like that woman in the picture.
When I turn 28, I hope this memory will finally scare me less.
7.
GiphyA stranger I interacted with at Wall-Mart about 4 years ago is still engraved in my brain.
I was with my mom shopping, and we found ourselves at the yogurt section. I love this stuff, so I was looking around at all the flavors pretty carefully. Well, after a little while a searching, a older man came up and started also searching through as well. He was maybe mid 40s or early 50s. I remember him being really tall, and he had a resemblance to my features. He had my build, same skin complexion, same hair color, you name it.
As we're searching through, he chuckles and says how he's gotta find the perfect flavor, and I agree with him. It's like our little mission to find the best kind - it was a lighthearted feeling just searching through the brands and flavors with him. He asks what my favorite flavor is, and turns out we had the same favorite. I thought that was pretty cool.
A little bit more looking through the section goes by, and he introduces himself as John.
My name is Jonathan.
He then found the ones he wanted, which were the same brand as the ones I was getting, and he put them into his cart, smiled at me, and rolled away.
I have not seen him since, but every time I remember the story I can't help but think that there's always a possibility I met my future self - even if it's just a silly idea.
6.
When I was fresh out of college I drove over two hours away for a job interview and got into a car accident like a block away from the building. My car was completely totaled. A woman who was stopped at the stop sign near my accident pulled over and got out to make sure I was okay. I was completely fine physically but have very bad anxiety and immediately had a panic attack. I was sobbing and couldn’t catch my breath and this complete stranger sat with me the entire time telling me to breathe and just being so caring and supportive. She waited with me for the police to come, she helped me talk them through what happened, she called my mom for me, she even called the office I was on my way to so she could let them know about the accident and that I would call them to reschedule my interview. As if that wasn’t enough, once she found out that I was that far away from home and it was going to take my mom two hours to get to me, she CANCELLED HER MEETING THAT SHE WAS ALREADY LATE TO SO SHE COULD DRIVE ME HALFWAY.
She did not think it was a big deal whatsoever. She just stepped up to the plate to help without question. I would have been completely alone and lost without her that day. She was an angel, honestly. I lost her business card between all the paperwork from the accident and I've been kicking myself over it for the last five years. All I want is to call her and tell her how thankful I am and that I've kept her in my thoughts ever since. Roxanne if you're out there, thank you so so much. And please for the love of god send me your last name so I can send you some flowers.
5.
GiphyI was having a rough day and I thought I'd get an ice cream to cheer myself up. I was standing in the line and this old lady looked at me and asked if I was okay. I said I was fine and just had a rough day. I got up to the front to get my ice cream and she tells the cashier, "I've got this young man, he's had a rough day". She smiles at me and says enjoy your ice cream. I still think of her whenever I have a rough day. I send her my good vibes.
4.
An old man I overheard telling his grandkids that if their dad got accepted to the job he was interviewing for in town, they would move there and then they could visit each other all the time. I never even saw the guy interviewing for the job but I really hope he got it
3.
A year after graduating from a tiny college on Idaho, I was at Disneyland with a high school buddy. I was totally convinced that I saw a college friend, Adam, in line at Pirates of the Caribbean. I kept waving at him, but he looked at me like I was out of my mind. My high school friend tried to talk me down, saying that "Adam" clearly had no idea who I was...it's not him...everyone has a twin...yada, yada, yada.
The line finally snakes around to where I am standing right next to "Adam" so I tap him on the shoulder and ask "hey, aren't you Adam M?" And he says "no, I'm his twin brother Aaron"
34 years later and I still tell that story at parties. I only met Aaron once, in 1986, in line at Pirates, but I do wish him...and Adam...a very happy birthday on Facebook.
2.
I met my husband's doppelganger once. The man looked EXACTLY like my husband. I was eith someone at the hospital waiting for their medical transport to pick us up and I saw who I thought was my husband across the street. My husband was supposed to be at work so I was confused. I called out to him but he didnt respond. My patient and I walked over to him but I stopped short a few feet away because I started to realize maybe it wasnt actually him. His clothes were different and this man was assisting someone in care giving type role -my husband absolutely would not do that.
The guy noticed me staring at him and so I explained why and even showed him a picture of my husband. He swore that was a picture of him and this was all some practical joke. I had to show him pictures of my husband and I together for him to realize the pictures were not of him. This man could have been his identical twin. I often think of that encounter and how insane it was. I also think of the astronomical chances that not only did my husband have a doppelganger but that we lived in the same city for a while and I happened to cross paths with him.
1.
Once I was walking to work past a homeless shelter pickup spot. It was a sunny day, middle of summer. A small lady was standing on the sidewalk wearing rain boots, a yellow raincoat, and wrapped completely in a blue vinyl tarp. As I walked by her, she leaned into me, looked me in the eye and said, "...fish monster...?"
I still think about her. Did she think I was a fish monster? Was she concerned that I had seen a fish monster? Perhaps she felt I was unprepared, and her questioning tone was more about if I'd heard about the potential of fish monsters.
Such a surreally complex interaction in just two words. One thing I know for certain is that whatever the fish monster status was, she was clearly the best prepared of everyone present.
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "🤐" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.
You'd think fame would start to get to you after a while, and maybe in some cases it does, but apparently a lot of celebs genuinely don't suck as people. Reddit asked people to talk about the nicest celebrity they've ever met, and these stories are honestly all kinds of adorable.
And right now we could all use a little bit of that. So let's let the celebs save the day and make us smile just by being their genuine selves. How incredibly meta.
L.L. Cool J Is In The Bookstooooooore!
I worked at a Barnes & Noble in high school. LL Cool J lived right next to it and would come in almost daily. He knew most of our names, really nice guy.
- Snufyou
He visited my best friend's nephew on the burn unit when nephew was 8. Nephew nearly died, had 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 80% of his body. LL Cool J visited and kept in touch for a while after.
Not my style of music, at all, but I will always be a fan of the person he is.
Down To Earth Dave
GiphyDave Chappelle and his family live a few miles from where I went to college, and he and I frequented the same Starbucks. I ran into him about ten times. One day he sat with me for about 45 minutes and talked about screenwriting. It was amazing. He's as down to earth as his stage persona suggests, and it's no wonder he opted to raise his family away from L.A.
Mine is Dave Chappelle too. I was in a college group that brought in speakers and performers so we brought him in. After his act we thought he left, so we started eating all the trays of food in his waiting room. He poked his head in and joked that we were hotboxing the room. Then he came and sat with us for an hour! He sat next to me, and when I told him it was my friends birthday and this friend was a big fan, he took my phone and called this friend and talked to him. It was amazing. This was 2005, I think right before he took a big break from everything.
Devito
Danny Devito. I ended up at a hotel bar in Philly with this girl I was hanging out with and her friend. Turns out the cast of Always Sunny was filming the 10th(ish?) season and staying at the hotel and hanging out downstairs. So girl's friend flags down Danny as he's walking by and he ends up sitting with us for a solid 2 hours. Buys us a couple rounds. And tries to invite the girl up to his hotel room; which was a weird turn but he also introduced us to Charlie Day so I'm calling it a win.
Not At All Like House
Having met Hugh Laurie in person, I can confidently state that he is one of the nicest and most humble celebrities out there. Not only is he completely happy to interact with his fans, but he also does so in a way that makes each and every one of them feel like they're a friend. He remembers names and personal details with amazing accuracy, and he makes each conversation seem like it's an extension of a treasured (and ongoing) dialogue. Add to that the fact that the man is outwardly hilarious, and you've got a recipe for a genuinely great guy.
A Wink And A Head Nod
Peter Dinklage is a lot of fun! Really cool guy. His laugh is incredibly infectious.
He and I had a funny encounter. We were both at a coffee shop in the Bowery at like 6:30 AM. We were the only ones there. He'd ordered a fancy drink of some sort so had to stand there and wait. I ordered a filter but it was a long process pour over type thing.
So he and I were stood there next to each other for 3-4 minutes. It was awkward because I don't really talk to celebrities / public figures. But at the same time it was weird because it was just the two of us and it was obvious I knew who he was.
In the end I gave him the chin nod. He winked and gave me the chin nod. That cleared the air and we were able to get on with our day.
Steven Tyler
My aunt met Steven Tyler and said he was super chill. Except she had no idea who he was, and he was just some guy who bought a lot of the musical instruments she was selling at a charity event. She posted a video of the two of them singing together on Facebook, and made a comment about how she was happy that this nice musician was making enough money to live off of. I had her go look up Aerosmith videos and she was shocked it was the same guy.
- othybear
My stepdaughter was maybe 7 years old. She and I were sitting in a coffee shop and she was complaining about her mom making her take piano lessons. A man behind her goes "my mom made me take music lessons too. And I've made a pretty good living ever since." And it was STEVEN TYLER! Aerosmith was in town for a show and our coffee shop was near their hotel. He sat down and chatted with her for about 10 minutes. I was blown away. The 7yo? Not so impressed by the random old guy talking to her about piano lessons. It was very kind of him to give her the pep talk though.
Colin Firth
Colin Firth
I saw him sitting in a cafe with his son. Extremely nice, I waited until they got up to leave before I went and asked if I could get an autograph for my mom (who's a huge fan). He asked me a few questions about her and wrote a quite nice autograph for her. He asked if I wanted one as well and I told him that meeting him was more than enough.
I had told him where she worked and he went in the next day and made a point to stop and chat with her. Truly a class act.
People Describe Their Best Chance Encounters | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Natalie Portman
GiphyNatalie Portman.
She came to my synagogue one day and gave a speech and then came around to our classrooms to talk with us a little. She was extremely sweet and incredibly beautiful. Seemed very patient and caring.
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder, but there's a story behind this...
I worked at a pharmacy in the '80s and was asked to deliver medicine to Gilda Radner (Gene's wife) during her cancer battle. After a long delay to make the delivery due to issues related to the getting in touch with her doctor, I was finally given the prescription and drove up to their house to make the delivery. During my drive, I was excited at meeting one of the brightest comedy stars of the time...
When I arrived, I rang the doorbell and Gilda answered. I knew she was sick, but even I was surprised at her gaunt appearance - she did not look well at all. Immediately, I realized she was very angry because of the long delay in getting the medicine to her. Unfortunately, she let loose all that anger at me. I apologized many times (even though I had nothing to do with the delays).
After she finished and I gave her the prescription, she closed the door on me. I was not upset at her, though - indeed, I was very sad - that this brilliant comedienne was sick and was going through such an absolutely awful ordeal... This was an awful situation and not at all as I had hoped my encounter would go.
As I turned around to walk away from the door, I went several steps before I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around and it was Gene, letting me know that his wife was very sick and he apologized many times for her behavior. He then gave me a nice tip for the delivery service and shared his gratitude for the weekend delivery and work by my pharmacy.
I'll never forget the encounter and appreciate that I got to meet both of them, even for a brief time, under difficult circumstances...
Rob
My girlfriend works at a high end grocer in los angeles and among the many celebrities she encounters daily, Rob Schneider is not only the most genuinely nice guy, but has become a bit of a friend now. He picked us up in a van for her 30th bday and drove us to his comedy show, paid for our table, dinner, everything.. truly such a nice fcking guy
Emma Dumont
Emma Dumont.
At Comic Con. I spent about 10 to 15 minutes talking to which is way longer than you're supposed to. She went out of her way to be nice. She did this with every fan (making the line take a really long time but worth the wait, her people actually had to hurry HER on while she was talking to fans.) She also ordered pizza for everyone standing in line that had to wait and she was also giving out her phone number to some fans. Emma also specially signed my photo, leaving a personal note. She's great.
Trust me, not everyone does things like this at cons.
Uncle Phil
James Avery (Phillip Banks of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). I was walking with my three little kids and lots of baggage in the Philadelphia airport car rental parking lot and he offered to help me with my kids and bags to get to the shuttle bus. He was genuinely really nice.
- Catusa
And Obviously, Mr. Rogers
GiphyMr. Rogers. Absolutely as kind and gentle and lovely as he seemed on TV.
I was lucky enough to spend 6 hours sitting next to the man on an airplane. I was 7. Highlight of my life.
We ate lunch. I spilled on him. I thought I had ruined everything, but he just smiled and gave me his dessert.
A friend of mine used to work on his show. Apparently he was exactly the person his TV image conveyed.
I went to high school right next to the building (WQED in Pittsburgh), where they taped his show and we'd see him frequently coming and going. Now, for teenage guys, Mister Rogers obviously wasn't "cool" but since we all grew up watching him, so he was okay. This was around 1981 or '82.
And then one morning, we were hanging out at the Senior Smoking Area, a side door entrance to the school that faced the WQED building, talking with a kid named Randy. He was a bit of a stoner; not a great student, denim jacket with 'Led Zeppelin' written in black marker on the back, greasy hair, the whole deal. He was a funny guy and we hung out with him, but he definitely seemed destined for a difficult life, probably pretty lost, no plans for college, etc.
So as we stand there, we all see Mister Rogers walking up the path toward WQED, and we're all like "Hey, check it out, it's Mister Rogers," and suddenly he looks over at us, and his arm shoots up and he waves and says, "Good morning, Randall!", with a big smile, very energetic and sincere.
And Randy says "S'up Mister Rogers," and pulls another drag on his cigarette and just grins. We were speechless and were like "Dude, you know Mister Rogers??" and Randy said, "Yeh I mean, I see him like almost every day".
I'll never forget that morning because, as stunned as we all were as teenagers, I think back on it now (at well over 50!) and it reminds me just how nice and accepting Mister Rogers was of everyone. Here was this misfit of a kid, smoking and hanging out, looking a mess, and Mister Rogers cared enough to obviously find out his name and remember it and make an effort to at least say "hello" to him everyday. Incredible.