Curious to hear from people who work in protective professions, Redditor L3n777 asked:
"Police, security guards, paramedics etc - Have you ever been called out only to realise it was a seemingly paranormal incident? What happened?"
Something spectral or something from another galaxy?
You decide.
The Darting Light
"Marine stationed in Japan back in 2010-12."
"I was military police. One night around 2-3 am we hear over the radio 'uhhhh. Any units seeing the light over the water south?' It was a marine air station based on the southern tip of Japan. We had no flights coming in or going out that night. Everyone knew there shouldn't be a light flying over the waters."
"So about 3 patrol cars met up at the air field where there was a way better view. Sure as sh*t there's a light sitting out over the water blinking slowly off and on. Some guys tried to say it was a star, so we had traffic control cameras from dispatch zoom in on it."
"Turns out it was slowly moving out of the cameras. So while by ehe we couldn't tell it was moving, the cameras picked it up. We sat there kind of amazed for an hour before it went away."
"As we were getting back into the squad car I took a last look at the night sky and saw a small light dart behind some clouds in a movement that didn't make sense. I didn't tel the other guys, just thought there's no way they would believe me."
"Months later I was running on the sea wall and stopped to lay down and catch my breath. Again saw a light, watched it drive into some clouds and then disappear. That was around the time of the tsunami and Fukushima. Super weird."
– Majestic-Science-220
Extra-terror-estrial
"Not a responder, but lived next door to one who is very famous in our hometown for his alien abduction, but there are other stories, too. This all went down in the 80s, rural England, and my memory of the exact details are fuzzy (been a while since anyone has bothered discussing it, small hometown and everyone knows and is over it)."
"The alien abduction story is that he was on the way back from a call out, saw some odd lights on the road ahead and had to stop, a one track road. He went to investigate the lights as any good police officer does, and next thing he knows it's a half hour later and he's back in his car seat, car facing the other way, some odd substance on him, no lights to be seen."
"The police dispatch also confirm that his radio frequency just disappeared for that half hour. The substance was tested and didn't match any known profile (I really have no idea what that really means or what tests were)."
"At around the same time, this officer and some others were called out by a farmer whose cows had disappeared. Yes, very stereotypical cows in a tractor beam story. But the farmer reported them missing, multiple police show up, gate is locked and no cows."
"They all decide to drive around looking for the cows. The paranormal magnet officer reports that thing where you keep trying to drive somewhere but always end up back where you were when it shouldn't be possible on his route, but they all convene back at the field at the end of shift."
"The cows are back, though none of the officers found them and nobody called in to find them. And remember, paranormal officer has seemingly been driving past the field on a loop all night. The farmer was also unaware when they called to ask him. Totally sounds like the farmer pulled a prank, except it was raining that night and there was loads of wet mud building at the edge of the field where the gate is, and not footprints or hoof prints, and the cows were dry, too."
"The last story I have the vaguest recollection of, I think it happened some years earlier and the paranormal officer was called to the discovery site. It is mostly about a different guy, a farmhand who was an immigrant who disappeared without a trace and then appeared several days later and miles away, dead, with burns and another unidentifiable substance all over his body, dumped at the top of a pile of coal."
"Again, no sign of anyone climbing up the very precarious pile of coal. And no sightings of this farmhand getting from the farm to a different town - one road, and he didn't seem to be on it at any point. He was in the same clothes but appeared to have undressed then been redressed by someone else."
"Autopsy couldn't find a cause of death, it wasn't the burns, and he was like, barely dead (no rigor mortis) when discovered. Edit: Should probably add that the official answer to the farmhand death was spontaneous ball lightning, itself a weird theory, and it doesn't explain most of the situation."
"I am not saying aliens but everyone at home is mildly convinced of the aliens."
– bingley777
It all starts with a sound.
After Hours Visitor
"Universal Orlando has a ride that you can hear a little girl laughing and someone running up and down the corridors after the ride closes."
"I've had doors that only lock with a key somehow lock when no one was around. The mechanics only work with ALL the lights on and music blasting."
– Revolutionary-Yak-47
Undetected Visitor
"Unarmed security for a residential building here, this is extremely tame compared to some of the other stories here but this is a pretty salient subject (and I have evidence)."
"My site has a rooftop pool and it's really one of the only major things the management gets anal about when it's supposed to be closed. On a chilly night not too long ago I was posted up in the rooftop stairwell staying warm when I hear a crescendo-ing fit of laughter that goes to the point where the laugher is gasping and choking."
"Kind of weird, but not a big deal considering that people throw parties and whatnot all the time and I could tell it wasn't close enough to be someone horsing around in the pool. Then I just start hearing a bunch of shrieking, and the source of the noise is moving around."
"At this point I step out, and I realize it's coming from the rooftop itself (locked up and only accessible by non-security by scaling a concrete wall). The noise stops and I try to start zeroing from where exactly on this dark, slippery, cold-ass roof the noises were coming from."
"Then I see some footprints on the roof that were not there before. Barefoot prints with no heel print (tiptoeing). Footprints that are dirtier than the surface of the roof itself. Noped my way right back inside because it was an hour before clock-out"
"I'd much rather have something paranormal than a methhead on the roof running around with no shoes."
– Insominus
These Redditors had no clue who or what was moving things around.
Ghost Driver
"Yyyooooooo lol you might not believe me but at universal studios Hollywood the lower lot we use golf carts or Ford explorers to patrol. There is a golf cart that drives it self at night."
"We have the number of the cart on camara and I sh*t you not it's been 'no operational' for over 6 years. (Some one wrecked it on lot) thing drives around jaw lake and residential area at night. Scary sh*t is I patrol up there alot for my swing shift never seen it but camaras catch it zooming past use when we are driving lol"
– Fearsnodeath
Maybe The Building's Old
"I know the feeling, especially with the doors. the building I work in has these sliding doors. The outer doors locks at 8pm but the inner doors stay unlocked. Sometimes around 1 am or 2 am the inner door will open like someone just walked past it... Once the locked outer door slid open like someone walked up to it... "
"That night I cut power to the doors for the rest of the shift. Same with the phone, except we can see who is calling in, whether it is an outside line or if it is coming from in the building. At least once a week there will be a call from one of the offices in the middle of the night, the first night it happened I assumed it was housekeeping, next morning I spoke to head of housekeeping and was told all housekeeping leaves at 8pm, same with kitchen staff, and maintenance."
"Management is out the door by 5pm, only staff in the building after 8pm is myself and a handful of nurses, and it can't be any of them as they are on another floor, I have the only key to the offices the call comes from, and I would see if anyone entered or exited the offices. Same with the alarms, had the fire alarm go off last week and it prompted all the fire doors to close, as soon as those doors closed it stopped."
"I checked, nothing in the building to trigger it, opened the fire doors back up, sat down at the desk, 5 minutes later alarm is shutting the doors again for no reason."
"So only thing I can figure at this point is this building I work in is an old building and it probably has some bad wiring somewhere that keeps setting things off."
– CylonsInAPolicebox
I always imagine security guards wander dark corridors at night illuminated only by their flashlights to investigate strange sounds.
If that is a reality, to them I tip my hat.
Because regardless of earning a decent wage, I would never want to subject myself to witnessing horror movie tropes like fresh footprints when no one else is in the building, or a strange point of light darting around that is not traced back to my flashlight, or slamming doors not due to mechanical failure.
To all responders in the field, thank you for your service.
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So how is it that many of us focus on being fearful of the unknown when there is a possibility that our lives can benefit from stepping into a world full of possibilities previously unrealized?
That is the nature of human beings, I suppose. Fortunately, many people who took a leap and tried something new came out on the other side all the better for it.
Curious to hear of these successful leaps, Redditor seesnawsnappy asked:
"What were you skeptical of until you tried it?"
Some people can be tentative about their orifices.
Wax Off
"Getting my ears cleaned by a professional. oh sweet baby jesus."
– Frankuuuuu__
"My husband just did this. He's been deaf in one ear for months, watching tv at top volume and making me crazy. I was cleaning out the bathroom closet and found an ear wax removal kit. He said it took about 45 minutes, but it finally all came out and he could finally hear again."
– idrow1
Tickly Rinse
"Bidets."
– XPepeLePewPewX
"I hate having to go anywhere without a bidet!"
– Liu1845
When There Are No Bidets
"Adult wet wipes."
– WiseFool4
These Redditors broke the stigma associated with some drugs.
Sleeping Pill
"Melatonin for insomnia. Thought it was some New Age crap, but it works like a dream for me."
– refried_pancakes
Uppers
"Anti-depressants."
"Struggled with recurring crippling depression from the age of 8, until I was 24. Got put on an SSRI and after 6 months it had brought me out of the depression into a life of feeling genuine joy in life without the fear of feeling the lows as a result."
- Rorcanna
When Seeking Relief
"painkillers. i rarely take them now because i don't want to become an addict, but they really help when i have 10/10 painful period cramps. but recently they had been lacking in help, so my friends suggested i do 2 at a time instead of 1, which really helped.
– Salty_Interaction_32
Life suddenly became more convenient with the following discoveries.
All-Encompassing Life Tool;
"Smartphones."
– takemegravity
"I was one of the last people still on a Nokia, as the whole world praised smartphones. Can't imagine going back now, though it would be a gift of time - not spending hours scrolling through things and watching videos. If screen time tracking didn't tell me, I'd never believe how many hours I spend doing this!"
– Kartapele
Saving A Trip
"Delivered Groceries."
– cowskeeper
"The only thing that holds me up is that they pick just the first fruit/veg that comes in reach. They don't look for the best one, from what I see when shopping myself and watching the instacart people pick items."
– srirachaninja
The Convert
"Mac Laptops, i've always been a Windows user, never tried a Mac before and I've always thought that Macs were just overpriced hardware that was just used to impress, but I get a new job and they sent me one, and oh boy, now I want one! , really great to work with, easy to use, everything feels high quality. Still feels overpriced to me but now I understand why it may be."
– rosencrantz2014
Trying certain foods expanded the palates of these Redditors.
Sweet And Savory
"Salted Caramel. Salted caramel and I first met when I tried the American chocolate PayDay about 15 years ago. I'm a little over it now but still in the right frequency and volume salted caramel is a win to me."
– Artsy_traveller_82
Slippery And Slimy
"Sushi."
– Instant_Noodles45
"Sashimi. Mmmmmm...."
– morosis1982
Cheers
"Red wine... Hated it when i was in my twenties.. now i love that sh*t."
– Niphilim83
Not For Everyone
"Pineapple on pizza. I'd heard the jokes about it being a crime against humanity, but I hadn't actually tried it until the pandemic. Turns out it's pretty good. It's an unconventional flavor combination, but it works for me."
– chessrook4242
I'm very picky about TV shows. I like discovering interesting series—regardless of genre—rather than being told what to watch.
When several friends suggested I should watch Breaking Bad, I had no desire. Initial trailers failed to capture my attention.
However, when I watched the pilot episode, I was immediately hooked because of the compelling story and the performances of the amazing cast on the show.
I was very skeptical at first, but I'm very glad I watched the entire series. That was truly one of the best TV dramas I've seen in a really long time.
However, I'm not sure all the buzz about Squid Game will make me want to watch it. I absolutely have no desire, and if I'm "missing out," it's a loss I'm content to live with.
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"What was your 'so THATS why that rule exists' moment?"
These incidences involving parents lead to unpleasant consequences.
Do Not Disturb
"Uggh same. Only with my grandparents. My memory is puposely fuzzy on this, and I'm not really sure what I saw, but it was their anniversary. That's when I learned why you knock."
Swing And A Miss
"While camping I was chopping wood into kindling when my dad says, 'Honey, you NEVER chop wood in sandals or flip flops. You need to wear proper shoes just in case you swing and miss. Wouldn't want to chop off your toe.' I say OK Dad! Take a big swing, miss and the damn ax lands right next to to my big toe in the dirt. I've never seen my dad smile so big."
Ignored Warning
"My mom told us not to try and climb up the water slide we had that slid into the pool. I figured it was because she was a fun-hater. Really it was so that you didn't slip, fall face first into wood planks, almost break your nose and eye socket, then get the skin on your eyelid glued back together causing a permanent scar between your eyelid and eyebrow. I learned the hard way."
– Gild5152
Why The Scar?
"Whenever I would open or break down cardboard boxes, I would always sweep the knife or scissors toward my other hand that was holding the box still. I was told at least 100 times to not cut toward myself by my mother and grandparents."
"I now how a pretty large scar on my left hand from accidentally stabbing myself with scissors and I no longer cut towards myself."
Workplace hazards abound.
The Crash Pad
"Working retail, one of the racks in the back room had a giant wad of foam stapled to it."
"What's with the foam?"
"Oh, you'll find out..."
"One day, in too much of a hurry, I turned around quickly and smacked my face right into the foam. Broke my glasses and cut my nose open."
"Would have KO'd me without the foam..."
It Makes Scents
"I work for a warehouse that manufactures different products; one product is made with pure peppermint oil. The stuff we get is very concentrated (literally go home every day smelling like Christmas). The restrooms are on the other side of the warehouse so my boss had a sink installed so people could easily wash themselves off if they got any oil on themselves."
"One big rule that is HIGHLY encouraged is to wash your hands before you leave that area of the warehouse to do anything, even before going to the restroom. Every single person has only broken that rule ONCE, because it only takes one minty private area to learn WHY you wash your hands first."
What Blow Dryers Are NOT Designed For
"Did you ever see the tag on a hair blow dryer that says 'Do not use while sleeping'? Silly, right? Well... I met someone whose family all sleeps with a blow dryer ON in their bed. They still do it after the daughter woke up to a scorched bed and the mom says sometimes the blow dryer 'sparks'!! Incredibly stupid people."
No Cellphones
"No cell phones while on the clock at work, has been the rule for the last two jobs I've had and there's been no exceptions to it. I'd need about fifty pairs of hands AND feet, and NO I'm not exaggerating, just to count the number of people fired because they were caught with their cell phones on them."
"The two major reasons for this rule have been because a couple of people were on them constantly and not doing their jobs, and about three or four people were caught taking pictures of customer's credit cards. So now if you're caught with a cell phone while clocked in, it's an automatic termination."
These Gestures Are Offensive In Other Countries | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
People explain the friendly gestures in one country that are offensive in another. It's imperative to do a little research about the destinations and culture...Sounds Fitting
"Clothing stores have signs posted that read:"
'LIMIT - no more than 3 items allowed in fitting rooms'
"When a store manager was asked why, he said:"
'Shoplifters will often take many items into dressing rooms without any intention of trying them on. They do this in order to stuff one or two items into bags, switch labels from more expensive to less expensive items, as well as to distract sales people in the fitting room area.'
"Often, shoplifters will leave items they don't want inside the dressing room so sales associates can't tell which ones they've taken and left behind."
For Back Protection
"Lift with your legs, not your back. I am not a fitness expert but I did do some temp work warehouses where having proper form is important. I do not want to get any hernia discs or anything."
– Guergy
The things kids do can lead to painful consequences. Which is why these rules were set in place.
The Reason For The Rule
"I guess this is cheating since I'm the reason for the rule."
"When I was like 9 I went to kings island in Ohio, there was a restaurant in the park that had bars laid out for people to queue in. My family was literally the only customers there, so as they were waiting naturally I decided to run back and forth under the bars. I was young and short enough where I just had to bend a little to run under them. My hands came up a little, and I was running full speed. My arms caught the bar, which pulled my head up just enough to knock my two front teeth clean out spewing a bloody mess:"
"Fast forward over two decades later I'm back at the park. Same restaurant now has chains instead of bars and a sign saying don't run underneath them. I chuckle to myself and ask one of the workers what the story there was."
"Oh like a decade and a half ago some dumbass kid f'ked his mouth up running into bars that were there."
No Running
"No running around the pool. My friend split his head open chasing someone around the pool deck."
Young Daredevil
"They taught me to never jump off spinning chairs at school, so out of spite, I jumped off the spinning chair THE SAME DAY they talked about the dangers of standing on a spinning chair."
"I ended up spraining my leg. It was a really fun experience explaining to my parents, doctors, and teachers what I had done."
Extra Precaution
"Remember the simple 'look both ways before you cross a road'. I still do that, even when the pedestrian light is green for me. Case in point, walking across the street when it's green for me and almost getting my foot flattened from a car driver that wanted to rush over his changing traffic light when it was already yellow."
Mind They Fingers
"Back when I was in 8th grade we had a tech class that would cycle to different rooms for different learning. Well one of the rooms was woodworking and my teacher for that room told us to 'make sure your fingers are clear of the band saw and to never give the wood a final extra push at the end'".
"Well I was always curious why he said that at the end there and then at the end of the school year he told us that about 10 years ago he had a kid cut part of his thumb off by giving the block of wood an extra push on the band saw."
I learned my lesson about not running a long time ago.
I used to be a part of a young adult performing group where we rehearsed and performed in a mall food court. During one of our lunch breaks from rehearsal, I needed to use the restroom so bad, I ran to beat the other kids from getting to the toilet first.
When I rounded the corner, I slipped in a puddle of urine in front of the urinal and fell. Needless to say, I had to use the sink as a makeshift bathtub to rinse myself.
I'm grateful I didn't break any bones from falling that day, and the embarrassing incident prevented me from racing to get to the bathroom since then.
That's why we don't run, kids.
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