Strange things that happen...

[bluemtn]

In response (kind of)to Techno's "only can happen to me..." thread, I decided to start one where everyone can list some of the strange things that's happened to them. For example- you found yourself in a position completely out of your norm, people's reactions to something you said/ did, etc.

I'll start off: a little over a year ago, I was heading to an anti- KKK rally for a demo, and had to actually drive down the street where the KKK rally was to be held that same day. Incidentally that one was a bust ! Anyways, as I was driving down the road, I started to freak out- I looked to my right and saw police in riot gear- shields and all!! Luckily I wasn't actually driving, but I looked to my boyfriend and said to hurry it up! I really didn't want to be caught in the middle of something, even though it wasn't going to start for a while. Thankfully I didn't see anyone in all white's- I really would've flipped out then!

Next up happened a few days ago- I went out with my parents for father's day, and we were on an elevator. A hispanic couple got on right behind us. They wouldn't tell us what level they needed, but they said 5 in spanish. Now, I'm not fluent in spanish, but I do know and understand enough to get by. When I asked what level, they just gave me a "deer in headlight's" reaction... Go figure!

 

[Phadrus00]

A few years ago I had a very strange thing happen..

I was living in Canada and had spent a couple of days in the US on a Job Interview. The Interview had been Monday so I had flown down Sunday night, had the Interview during the day and returned that evening. tuesday morning I returned to my normal job in downtown Fredericton (my hometown). I had been working this kob for quite some time and had a very regular routine. I parked my car in the same lot as usual, went to the same coffee shop, ordered the same coffee and biscuit and walked out the front door and looked up to see..

An Armoured Personnel Carrier rolling up main street right in front of me flanked by 8 soldiers in fatigues and body armour carrying automatic rifles and sweeping the sidewalks.

My jaw hit the floor. I stood stupedified as the unit passed by and made it's way up the street. I hurried into my office wondering what was going on! Did martial law get declared while I was away? Is this a parallel universe. Is this some twisted dream and I am going to wake up back in Boston about to go to my interview?

It turns out that the Canadian Armed Forces were preparing to deploy to Bosnia and needed to practice working with civilian populations in urban settings. The largest Military base in North America (CFB Gagetown) is close to my hometown and apparently the Mayor had offered the city as a training area for the soldiers. It had been annouced widely on Sunday but I was away and had missed the annoucements.

It turns out that APC's and Assault Rifles wake you up faster than Tim Horton's coffee! *smile*

Rob

 

[Mcura]

I had this happen to me several years ago in downtown Toronto. I was walking down Yonge Street by the Scientology Building, and wouldn't you know it, the Scientologists were having a large public relations show. They were handing out flyers and pamphlets, offering free mental evaluations, and generally inviting people in. On the same sidewalk were, let's call them the Anti-Scientologists, handing out *their* flyers and such, trumpeting why they don't like Scientologists.

So imagine walking inbetween these two warring, volume-increasing, pamphlet waving camps, trying to either get as much paper from both sides as you can or politely waving all of them off.

 

[stickarts]

I had just finished jogging at a local university that i liked to spend time at and some students were taking turns reading poems to a crowd that had gathered. I hung out for a bit and listened to the poems.
The poems were too deep for me as i didn't have a clue what they were talking about.
Just as I walked away, police came from all sides with startling speed, on foot, on motorcycles, sirens going off, etc... and surrounded the crowd and let no one leave! They had guns and other various gear. They looked like they were ready to take down the whole crowd!
I never found out what it was all about as i kept walking and never looked back!
It was very bizarre.

 

[hong kong fooey]

a couple years ago I was going to a concert in dc with my girlfriend and a bunch of friends well we get to dc and were walking not knowing where we are going and we saw a bunch of people and decided they were going toi the concert and started to follow them after awhile we noticed that alot of them had these teeshirts on talking about GAY RIGHTS well we stoped and asked a cop what these people were walking for and he told us that we were in a GAY RIGHTS PARADE! we laughed the whole day it was pretty funny. but im not sorry for walking in the parade though because im for gay rights

 

[bluemtn]

a couple years ago I was going to a concert in dc with my girlfriend and a bunch of friends well we get to dc and were walking not knowing where we are going and we saw a bunch of people and decided they were going toi the concert and started to follow them after awhile we noticed that alot of them had these teeshirts on talking about GAY RIGHTS well we stoped and asked a cop what these people were walking for and he told us that we were in a GAY RIGHTS PARADE! we laughed the whole day it was pretty funny. but im not sorry for walking in the parade though because im for gay rights

NO NO NO NO NO!!!! It wasn't gay rights (yes I'm his g-friend)- it was for the homeless!!!

*Edit* Not that I'm against either one, but you need to get your facts straight!

 

[Carol]

OMG...Phadrus, a friend of mine from college was from Fredericton, NB. How cool is that? He introduced me to Tim Horton's Coffee....mmmmmm...