To be flattered? Or is this strange?

[sleepfortheweek]

Walking my dog this evening. I was walking through a local park, as were many other people.

I had my headphones in listening to my audio book but out of the corner of my eye I saw a man crossing the park towards me. I didn't think much of it and just kept walking but then I noticed he was walking directly towards me.

When he was close enough I could see he was saying something to me so I took out my ear buds and I didn't catch the first bit but he basically said sorry for being so random but he really like my fashion (I was wearing jeans, boots, an hoody and a body warmer 🤣) and wanted to say hi.

He introduced himself to me and shook my hand. I had no idea what was going on, and I told him my name. He was just kind of smiling at me and making conversation. Asked what I liked to do to relax etc. It was a very normal conversation but in very strange circumstances.

He then asked if I was taken.I said yes, I have a husband and two children. The conversation ended not too long after, with him apologising again for being so random. He said cheerio and off he went on the opposite direction to me 🤷🏼‍♀️

Does this kind of thing actually happen in real life or do you think he was on drugs?? He didn't seem drunk.

I live in a tiny town, and he said he was here for work (even told me what work).

Should I be flattered? Or should I be looking over my shoulder from now on?

This has NEVER happened to me before, it's not like I'm a beauty queen that men fall over themselves to speak to 🤣

The strangest thing was that the part of my audio book I was at was a man and woman who barely knew each other went for a coffee together and I was literally thinking how that never really happens in real life then BOOM I'm accosted by a stranger 🤣

Another classic is to pretend they are lost and do I know the way to? ...

OH YES. And I fall for that one every time, because I love giving directions. But then they say "You have a great accent! Where are you from?" and I realise they have not been listening to my excellent directions, and they didn't even need directions at all.

I was in a pub once with family and friends, a local band was playing, as they were leaving the lead singer approached our table and starting telling me how beautiful I was.
All my lady friends felt quite offended but I felt like it was a mean joke! I don’t find myself attractive so it ruined my night and I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a dare to pick on the ugly girl.
Either way whatever his intentions or true feelings were I just wanted to share as men do approach women randomly!

I was in a pub once with family and friends, a local band was playing, as they were leaving the lead singer approached our table and starting telling me how beautiful I was.
All my lady friends felt quite offended but I felt like it was a mean joke! I don’t find myself attractive so it ruined my night and I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a dare to pick on the ugly girl.
Either way whatever his intentions or true feelings were I just wanted to share as men do approach women randomly!

I was in a pub once with family and friends, a local band was playing, as they were leaving the lead singer approached our table and starting telling me how beautiful I was.
All my lady friends felt quite offended but I felt like it was a mean joke! I don’t find myself attractive so it ruined my night and I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a dare to pick on the ugly girl.
Either way whatever his intentions or true feelings were I just wanted to share as men do approach women randomly!

I was in a pub once with family and friends, a local band was playing, as they were leaving the lead singer approached our table and starting telling me how beautiful I was.
All my lady friends felt quite offended but I felt like it was a mean joke! I don’t find myself attractive so it ruined my night and I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a dare to pick on the ugly girl.
Either way whatever his intentions or true feelings were I just wanted to share as men do approach women randomly!

I'm with @pedropony76. How do you think people used to meet? I've been asked out at a bus stop, chatted to in the supermarket and at a bank. This guy seemed fine to me - once you said you were not available he left you alone.
The one time I did feel uncomfortable was when I was followed out of the tube and the first thing the guy said was 'I'm not going to hurt you'.
If someone comes up to you that makes you feel uncomfortable just give them a look and move on or say 'I'm not interested'. This guy paid you a compliment. He may have been a creep , but so could that guy down the pub or in a nightclub or local pottery class.

I'm with @pedropony76. How do you think people used to meet? I've been asked out at a bus stop, chatted to in the supermarket and at a bank. This guy seemed fine to me - once you said you were not available he left you alone.
The one time I did feel uncomfortable was when I was followed out of the tube and the first thing the guy said was 'I'm not going to hurt you'.
If someone comes up to you that makes you feel uncomfortable just give them a look and move on or say 'I'm not interested'. This guy paid you a compliment. He may have been a creep , but so could that guy down the pub or in a nightclub or local pottery class.

I'm with @pedropony76. How do you think people used to meet? I've been asked out at a bus stop, chatted to in the supermarket and at a bank. This guy seemed fine to me - once you said you were not available he left you alone.
The one time I did feel uncomfortable was when I was followed out of the tube and the first thing the guy said was 'I'm not going to hurt you'.
If someone comes up to you that makes you feel uncomfortable just give them a look and move on or say 'I'm not interested'. This guy paid you a compliment. He may have been a creep , but so could that guy down the pub or in a nightclub or local pottery class.

I don't think this is any more weird than someone approaching you in a pub and introducing themselves. If he found you attractive then it was worth him taking a chance.

I was in a pub once with family and friends, a local band was playing, as they were leaving the lead singer approached our table and starting telling me how beautiful I was.
All my lady friends felt quite offended but I felt like it was a mean joke! I don’t find myself attractive so it ruined my night and I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a dare to pick on the ugly girl.
Either way whatever his intentions or true feelings were I just wanted to share as men do approach women randomly!

I don't think this is any more weird than someone approaching you in a pub and introducing themselves. If he found you attractive then it was worth him taking a chance.

I’d be terrified if this happened to me. Since I’ve got a bit older (well, only late 20s) I’m definitely more anxious about men in particular. I go out running but always stick to main roads in built up areas so I know lots of people are around all of the time. Probably wouldn’t have questioned it 5 or so years ago but with recent murders like Sabina and Sarah Everard, I’d honestly be terrified if a strange man stopped me running or walking to ‘compliment’ me.

I think it would be different if this man was walking your way anyway and maybe had a dog so stopped to make small talk about the dogs and it progressed. It’s the fact he went out of his way to approach you specifically to compliment you that’s weird and creepy.

I was in a pub once with family and friends, a local band was playing, as they were leaving the lead singer approached our table and starting telling me how beautiful I was.
All my lady friends felt quite offended but I felt like it was a mean joke! I don’t find myself attractive so it ruined my night and I couldn’t shake the feeling it was a dare to pick on the ugly girl.
Either way whatever his intentions or true feelings were I just wanted to share as men do approach women randomly!

I'm with @pedropony76. How do you think people used to meet? I've been asked out at a bus stop, chatted to in the supermarket and at a bank. This guy seemed fine to me - once you said you were not available he left you alone.
The one time I did feel uncomfortable was when I was followed out of the tube and the first thing the guy said was 'I'm not going to hurt you'.
If someone comes up to you that makes you feel uncomfortable just give them a look and move on or say 'I'm not interested'. This guy paid you a compliment. He may have been a creep , but so could that guy down the pub or in a nightclub or local pottery class.

How on earth did those of us in the 80s and 90s manage to get boyfriends / husbands when the only way of speaking to new people was by going up to them!!

How on earth did those of us in the 80s and 90s manage to get boyfriends / husbands when the only way of speaking to new people was by going up to them!!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!

How on earth did those of us in the 80s and 90s manage to get boyfriends / husbands when the only way of speaking to new people was by going up to them!!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!

How on earth did those of us in the 80s and 90s manage to get boyfriends / husbands when the only way of speaking to new people was by going up to them!!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!

Wow!

the guy wasn’t wearing a trench coat with only a pair of tight underneath it ffs!

I think it’s quite sweet tbh, OP. You clearly thought it was bizarre and your gut wasn’t to run away screaming and call the police. like most of the pp would have. That probably tells you something.

I’ve had this happen to me over the years. I’m absolutely no looker, but I don’t think approaching someone like that is necessarily a weird or creepy thing to do! It’s engagement and when we live in a world now where it’s all about swiping on a screen, actual proper 3D interaction is something we should do more of. There’s SO much more to a person than just how they look in a photo and done typed words. Anyway thats a different rant, but screens have got s lot to answer for.

Not every man is Jimmy Savile. It’s true!