Have you ever been rescued from an awkward situation by a total stranger?

[Magpie]

Because that's exactly what happened to my son the other day!

My son is 19, and naturally gregarious. So when he found himself caught up in a conversation with what he describes as a "schizophrenic dude", at first he really enjoyed it. He said it was fascinating to see how the fellow's mind worked, describing him making connections in unusual ways and changing topic unexpectedly.

Plus, as he pointed out, the gentleman wasn't being aggressive or angry. He was just excited to have someone stop to listen to him and engage with him.

But after awhile, my son began to realize that he was trapped. There seemed to be no polite way to disengage from the dude, who was showing no signs of slowing down. My son began making eye contact with random passers-by, but they all averted their gaze and hurried on, pretending they hadn't noticed.

Then the girl appeared. When my son made eye contact with her, she looked right back at him, and then strolled up and said, "Hi!" like she'd known him all her life. Started chatting, no fear, no hesitation. Told the schizophrenic dude that they had to go, everyone waved, and the next thing my son knows, he's walking off with this girl.

My son says to her (edit: he's joking, of course), "Are you wasted, or are you actually this weird?"

And she says, "I am SO drunk right now, you have no idea!"

So... Today's question is, have you ever been rescued by a friendly stranger? What's your good Samaritan story?

 

[llcoolj]

I wonder why your son felt the need to insult his rescuer.

 

[MnParrothead]

My husband (when he was young and didn't know better) once asked a woman when she was due. She responded, "I'm not pregnant." Somebody standing in line behind her said, "No, he said 'How do you do?'" Husband has never asked any woman that question again.

 

[bellanotte10]

just had surgery on my throat, all I could have was smoothies or milkshakes. Went to go get one. I first, had to apologize to the guy taking my order for why I was whispering, then ordered my drink, went to pay, realize I had no money and tried to cancel my order. He said too late, once it goes through and hits the payment screen it can't be cancelled. I looked so panicked and upset, that the guy said wait here let me talk to the manager, see what he wants to do. Got it on the house, with extra, and told to feel better. Basically was told it was going to be thrown out but they felt bad given that this was apparently what I wanted after coming out of surgery.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I wonder why your son felt the need to insult his rescuer.

I'm guessing he said it in a teasing/tongue in cheek manner.

 

[Magpie]

I wonder why your son felt the need to insult his rescuer.

1. She wasn't insulted.

2. I'm quite sure he thanked her, as he's never been accused (as far as I know) of being an impolite person.

3. His social instincts are generally excellent, so I trust he knew what she'd find amusing and what she wouldn't.

 

[Magpie]

I'm guessing he said it in a teasing/tongue in cheek manner.

Exactly!

 

[Magpie]

just had surgery on my throat, all I could have was smoothies or milkshakes. Went to go get one. I first, had to apologize to the guy taking my order for why I was whispering, then ordered my drink, went to pay, realize I had no money and tried to cancel my order. He said too late, once it goes through and hits the payment screen it can't be cancelled. I looked so panicked and upset, that the guy said wait here let me talk to the manager, see what he wants to do. Got it on the house, with extra, and told to feel better. Basically was told it was going to be thrown out but they felt bad given that this was apparently what I wanted after coming out of surgery.

Aw... that's really nice of them. I hope you're recovering well, and feeling better today!

 

[Mokat76]

Long ago. Guy in a bar followed me into the coat room and then tried to get me to leave with him. No, I didn't know him. He actually tried to pull me out th door. Two other guys in the bar apparently noticed him doing this, came out of the bar into the coat room/lobby area, took me by both arms and led me back into the bar, where I stayed until the coast was clear. They called a taxi and then escorted me to the cab in case creepy guy was lurking. Chivalry is not dead.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

My sister and I almost drowned in the ocean and were saved by the lifeguard in front of everyone on the beach. so not really a "good Samaritan" per se, but I didn't know who he was until *after* he saved us, and he was a total stranger!

My sister is only 5'2". We were about chest deep and then the undertow got her and she was bobbing in the waves and couldn't touch anymore. I am 5'7" so I could still touch unless there was a really high wave. Neither of us are what I would consider strong swimmers. She called to me and my older sister, and I went over to her while our older sister took off for the beach . She was trying to grab onto me but she was starting to pull me down. I told her to let go and go on her back and start going for the shore and I would stay with her. Neither of us were getting anywhere and after a while I started to freak out too. All the sudden there was this man near us and I yelled to him to please help my sister so we could get back to shore. I had no idea he was the lifeguard - to me he was an angel from heaven sent to save us lol. He grabbed my sister and told me to hang onto her and he pulled us in. We really weren't very far out - it literally was like we were just fine, then all the sudden where she couldn't reach anymore. I didn't realize how tired I was until I tried to stand up in about 2-3 feet of water near shore. A wave came crashing in and knocked me right into the...ahem, private area...of the lifeguard and we fell back into the water with me on top of him looking right into his eyes. He looked at me and said (right in front of the crowd that had gathered) "Not on the first date!" lol It helped lighten the mood (and ease my embarrassment!) but in retrospect, it could have gone very, very bad. I was 19 and my sister was 17 at the time. We could have been washed out into the Gulf of Mexico or drowned!

 

[Magpie]

My husband (when he was young and didn't know better) once asked a woman when she was due. She responded, "I'm not pregnant." Somebody standing in line behind her said, "No, he said 'How do you do?'" Husband has never asked any woman that question again.

Ha! That's fantastic!

I was once standing at the reception desk in my daughter's school, signing up my son for kindergarten, when one of the other mums came over and patted my stomach, saying, "Ooooo! When are you due?"

I immediately sucked in my gut, stopped slouching, and said, "Um, I'm not."

We were both really embarrassed.

(Did teach me that my mum was right, though, when she would say, "Stand up straight!")

 

[bellanotte10]

Aw... that's really nice of them. I hope you're recovering well, and feeling better today!

I am thank you! I'll probably have scars from the ulcers that necessitated the surgery but they said it shouldn't bother me in the long run

 

[Magpie]

Long ago. Guy in a bar followed me into the coat room and then tried to get me to leave with him. No, I didn't know him. He actually tried to pull me out th door. Two other guys in the bar apparently noticed him doing this, came out of the bar into the coat room/lobby area, took me by both arms and led me back into the bar, where I stayed until the coast was clear. They called a taxi and then escorted me to the cab in case creepy guy was lurking. Chivalry is not dead.

Yikes! I'm glad they were looking out for you.

 

[Magpie]

My sister and I almost drowned in the ocean and were saved by the lifeguard in front of everyone on the beach. so not really a "good Samaritan" per se, but I didn't know who he was until *after* he saved us, and he was a total stranger!

My sister is only 5'2". We were about chest deep and then the undertow got her and she was bobbing in the waves and couldn't touch anymore. I am 5'7" so I could still touch unless there was a really high wave. Neither of us are what I would consider strong swimmers. She called to me and my older sister, and I went over to her while our older sister took off for the beach . She was trying to grab onto me but she was starting to pull me down. I told her to let go and go on her back and start going for the shore and I would stay with her. Neither of us were getting anywhere and after a while I started to freak out too. All the sudden there was this man near us and I yelled to him to please help my sister so we could get back to shore. I had no idea he was the lifeguard - to me he was an angel from heaven sent to save us lol. He grabbed my sister and told me to hang onto her and he pulled us in. We really weren't very far out - it literally was like we were just fine, then all the sudden where she couldn't reach anymore. I didn't realize how tired I was until I tried to stand up in about 2-3 feet of water near shore. A wave came crashing in and knocked me right into the...ahem, private area...of the lifeguard and we fell back into the water with me on top of him looking right into his eyes. He looked at me and said (right in front of the crowd that had gathered) "Not on the first date!" lol It helped lighten the mood (and ease my embarrassment!) but in retrospect, it could have gone very, very bad. I was 19 and my sister was 17 at the time. We could have been washed out into the Gulf of Mexico or drowned!

Scary! I'm glad you both came through okay. I came very close to drowning on Jersey Shore when I was a toddler, and I still get flashes of memory from that incident. My mum always said, "Never turn your back on the ocean!" and believe me, I'm very respectful of the sea.

 

[NHdisneylover]

In highschool I regularly rode the public busses so many of the drivers sort of knew me by sight (not total strangers). I had broken up with my boyfriend and he kept showing up in places he knew I would be (near my work at closing time, etc) and following me trying to talk me into getting back together---often getting quite loud, grabbing my arm and holding me from walking off, etc.

So one night he had cornered my on a residential street not far from my house, after I had gotten off a bus and was walking home. I was about a block past the stop when the next bus came by ten minutes later. Ex had a hold of my arm and was being menacing---driver noticied, stopped and called to me that I could go ahead and get on and not have to "get to the next stop and wait on another bus in the cold" and stared down the ex until he let me go and I hopped on the bus.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Because that's exactly what happened to my son the other day!

My son is 19, and naturally gregarious. So when he found himself caught up in a conversation with what he describes as a "schizophrenic dude", at first he really enjoyed it. He said it was fascinating to see how the fellow's mind worked, describing him making connections in unusual ways and changing topic unexpectedly.

Plus, as he pointed out, the gentleman wasn't being aggressive or angry. He was just excited to have someone stop to listen to him and engage with him.

But after awhile, my son began to realize that he was trapped. There seemed to be no polite way to disengage from the dude, who was showing no signs of slowing down. My son began making eye contact with random passers-by, but they all averted their gaze and hurried on, pretending they hadn't noticed.

Then the girl appeared. When my son made eye contact with her, she looked right back at him, and then strolled up and said, "Hi!" like she'd known him all her life. Started chatting, no fear, no hesitation. Told the schizophrenic dude that they had to go, everyone waved, and the next thing my son knows, he's walking off with this girl.

My son says to her (edit: he's joking, of course), "Are you wasted, or are you actually this weird?"

And she says, "I am SO drunk right now, you have no idea!"

So... Today's question is, have you ever been rescued by a friendly stranger? What's your good Samaritan story?

Drunk girls are awesome

 

[mombrontrent]

In highschool I regularly rode the public busses so many of the drivers sort of knew me by sight (not total strangers). I had broken up with my boyfriend and he kept showing up in places he knew I would be (near my work at closing time, etc) and following me trying to talk me into getting back together---often getting quite loud, grabbing my arm and holding me from walking off, etc.

So one night he had cornered my on a residential street not far from my house, after I had gotten off a bus and was walking home. I was about a block past the stop when the next bus came by ten minutes later. Ex had a hold of my arm and was being menacing---driver noticied, stopped and called to me that I could go ahead and get on and not have to "get to the next stop and wait on another bus in the cold" and stared down the ex until he let me go and I hopped on the bus.

Off topic but I had an ex that was exactly like this. After I broke up with him he would show up at random places he knew I'd be, outside my work at shift end, he'd get on the bus halfway through my route home from work because he knew I'd be in that bus, he'd be standing by my locker after school when he didn't even go to that school ect. Weird, and he thought all the stalking would get me back? I don't get it.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Ha! That's fantastic!

I was once standing at the reception desk in my daughter's school, signing up my son for kindergarten, when one of the other mums came over and patted my stomach, saying, "Ooooo! When are you due?"

I immediately sucked in my gut, stopped slouching, and said, "Um, I'm not."

We were both really embarrassed.

(Did teach me that my mum was right, though, when she would say, "Stand up straight!")

The opposite thing happened to me and it was just as embarrassing! My oldest son did gymnastics and I would take him to practice twice a week. I'd talk to his coach each time. I got pregnant and as the weeks went on, I got bigger and bigger (certainly no stick figure to begin with, but I packed on 45 lbs with this pregnancy). The week I had my youngest, my mom took my oldest to gymnastics and the coach asked where I was. My mom told him I had the baby. He said, "Oh, I didn't know she was pregnant!" My mom said she looked at him with her mouth hanging open and said, "You couldn't tell?!" He said, "I learned a long time ago never to assume a woman is pregnant." Yeah, but geez, I talked to him up to my 41st week!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Off topic but I had an ex that was exactly like this. After I broke up with him he would show up at random places he knew I'd be, outside my work at shift end, he'd get on the bus halfway through my route home from work because he knew I'd be in that bus, he'd be standing by my locker after school when he didn't even go to that school ect. Weird, and he thought all the stalking would get me back? I don't get it.

I know! I had those same thoughts, even as a teenager----all that just made me want to get away from him even more and faster.
This guy would show up at my mom's work when he knew she'd likely be on break/lunch at the outdoor tables too. These days, I would probably report it to police, but in 1990 that thought never crossed my mind

 

[Magpie]

Drunk girls are awesome

That's what my son said! He'd apparently recently seen some comedy skit about the awesome power of drunk girls, and commented that he couldn't believe he'd just experienced the phenomenon in real life.