crying woman dilemma

[hullabaloo68]

This morning I opened the door to a distraught woman. After I'd managed to calm her down a bit it seems her Husband has told her their marriage is over because he is in love with me. This was a bit of a surprise because I don't actually know this man. She wants me to talk to him and tell him I'm not interested. What would you do it feels he's a bit stalkerish and I definitely don't want to be giving him any encouragement by speaking to him. I do really feel for his poor wife

I had this in my twenties - there was this partner at work who got engaged and we had to go for drinks to celebrate. He said very seriously that if I wanted to go out with him he would end the engagement! I nearly spat out my drink! Poor fiancée.

Sounds like she was trying to cause a distraction..
Glad you didn't let her in.

@TatianaBis

I would assume she’s mentally ill as she didn’t attempt to extort money.

She may not even have a partner.

@TatianaBis

Please can we stop suggesting that any odd / irrational / unexplained behaviour must be a sign of mental illness ?

@notanothertakeaway

I beg your pardon?

It’s a perfectly legitimate observation in the circumstances.

There are various options and mental illness of either the lady herself or partner are key.

It may equally be a scam.

[quote TatianaBis]@notanothertakeaway

I beg your pardon?

It’s a perfectly legitimate observation in the circumstances.

There are various options and mental illness of either the lady herself or partner are key.

It may equally be a scam.[/quote]
I agree. It's perfectly OK to suggest ill health of any type is a reason for unusual behaviour. No slur is intended although the reader may interpret it differently.

E.g. collapsed assumed drunk could be diabetic coma. It's sensible to consider alternatives

Please can we stop suggesting that any odd / irrational / unexplained behaviour must be a sign of mental illness ?
What spin would you put on odd or irrational behaviour, then?

Either it’s a scam to distract you at the front door while someone breaks in at the back door, assuming that didn’t happen then either it’s true and her husband is a stalker/mentally ill or she is.

It reminds me of a conversation I once overheard at a train station, a woman struck up a conversation with another woman who appeared to be a stranger to her, she sounded very distressed and was telling her how she’d met a man in a pub the evening before and gone home with him and he’d told her he loved her and he’d come and see her again, and asking if the woman thought he really loved her and would her really come and see her again and she repeated the whole thing several times, loudly between sobs.

Good lord, I don't know what I'd do in that situation. Must have made you feel weird all day. I think you've done everything sensible that you could have done; even if what she says is true, it's still not your problem.

@knittingaddict

.

Likewise

I had this once - only it was my teachers wife. I was still at school (A levels) so maybe 17 - and he was professor in local Uni who taught sometimes in my school.
Never spoke to the bloke out of class either
Pervy old man

Maybe he said a name and shes 'teminatoring' it and going through every person with that name she can find.

How common is your name?

Obviously if its Artemis Nannette Villin its unlikely she got the wrong person (although she could likely find you easily) but if you are Rachel Louise Jones its a possibility that she could just have looked up Rachel Jones on facebook or Google search and returned dozens of names and addresses from there and you are just someone with that name whose fairly local so she assumed you where the 'one'.

Likewise

It's still here though ImbarbaraB

Either it’s a scam to distract you at the front door while someone breaks in at the back door, assuming that didn’t happen then either it’s true and her husband is a stalker/mentally ill or she is.
I think one of these too.

OP, what did the police actually say?

I think scam.

I had an odd encounter with a very young looking teen boy in last house - I don't remember what he said but we had an outter porch put in with clear door and I'd only opened house door and I rememeber him indicating he wanted out door unlocked. I had baby in my arms and young kids behind me and declined.

There was no-one near him as could see clearly out all way down drive.

To get to back you had to go next door alley and neigbour was always in and had windows overlooking and over fence or over roof of our one story garage - which again neigbour opposite would likely have seen. There were two locked doors - first garage then in back of house via garage.

So I just though odd - then read in local paper is was a scan to gain entry via back of house - did think it odd they tried our house though as there were others with more accessible layouts.

@StuffinThePuffin slight detail, but we have a post box (as do our NDNs), I’d rather we didn’t, mainly because when it rains heavily, we tend to end up with soggy post. I’m also not keen from a security point of view, but it’s relatively low risk, and either way, we’re stuck with it.

[quote BadNomad]@Sparklesocks

And her address?

Google your own name and town. You'll be surprised at what you can find online.[/quote]
Yes I have googled myself but I’ve never found anything that lists my full address including full post code and house number

Jolean, is that you?

I remember reading a thread very similar to this a few weeks back!

I think it’s a scam, too.

@Sparklesocks - a random google of my name + the word 'address' finds nothing but its easy to find with the correct website, I usually use 192.com (which brought up mine instantly - if its a common name then you might get a few option but if you know the 'area' its easy to narrow down).

I have used it to track down long lost relative before, its really quite effective.