Hi ,
For me, last week started as 'Crazy Person Week'.
It began on the way home on the train on Monday. I was in an aisle (1) seat and the two seats next to the window were full. A man with an open bottle of beer came and sat down opposite me.
I don't know if he was drunk, but he was talking. I think he was muttering (2) to himself, but sometimes it felt like he was speaking to me. He was complaining about companies, especially one company.
It was a bit freaky sitting there, but what else could I do? Finally we reached Obertshausen and I got off. Thankfully he stayed on.
The next day I entered a shopping centre and went to the first floor to sit down. There was a young guy near the seat I chose. He was standing, looking down to the ground floor and he was talking, too.
At first I thought he was making a phone call. But no, he was just talking. About not having a job or being an apprentice. It was weird and I felt quite sorry for him.
Later that day, I was sitting in the library. Everything was normal where I was, but suddenly I could hear a female voice shouting.
The voice went on and on. After a couple of minutes, I heard the security guard speak to her and everything went quiet again.
Thursday morning I was at the train station, waiting to go to work. A man walked up to me and I could tell he wanted something. Instead of speaking, he moved closer and suddenly I felt uncomfortable.
What was he going to do 😧?
He held out his phone. On the screen (in a translation app) was his question (about the next train to Frankfurt).
Whew 🫡.
I answered him and when the train arrived, I made sure he got on.
I shouldn't have judged him so quickly. He wasn't crazy - he was just a foreigner who needed some help.
How about you, ? Do you get uncomfortable when people act a bit differently? Do you move away if you can? Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences.
See you next time,
Andrea
(1) aisle - the space between seats (on a bus/train/aeroplane), where you can walk. It's also the space between shelves at the supermarket. (You say it like 'mile', but without the 'm'.)
(2) muttering - speaking, but not clearly, or too quietly. When people can't hear (or understand) you properly.
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