We seem to have our own Perfect Storm of weirdness happening. Is it happening where you are too?
There's the almost-full moon which is guaranteed to have the nutcases out and about, doing their wacky stuff.
There's the fact that it's Halloween, or near enough, so that people's inner batshit is flying free.
And let's add to that one the fact that there's enough processed sugar running loose in the streets to keep Starfleet spinning around the moon for the next ten years, shall we?
Then, at least up here, it's windy. I discovered a long time ago that wind makes everyone nasty-tempered and antsy and twitchy.
So you put all those together and there's a veritable freak show going on. I'm trying really hard not to play, but damn. It's almost impossible to resist the pull of the strange.
For example, today at work a guy came in and wanted change. Okay, it happens. If someone wants a buck or two in quarters, yeah, we're not supposed to be we do.
This guy, though, really wanted us to give him a $20 bill, or two $10s or a couple of $5s and a $10 for his handful of $1s. I was on the phone and he asked Marie, and she passed him off to me once I finished my call.
He was weird. He struck us both as just wrong. I've been saying for ages now, trust your gut, it knows things your rational brain can't see, and this guy was off. There was no real reason to deny him the change but it felt like a scam and he was weird.
When I told him we couldn't, but he could go across the street to the bank and get them to change his money, he argued. For five solid minutes. It was creepy. And completely irrational, unless he was pulling something. Seriously, the bank is a two minute walk if you don't jaywalk and actually wait for the lights. I can make it in under a minute if I cheat.
But no, he refused. I was seriously thinking that I might need help getting him to leave, and was hoping JB would get back from Bakeman's in a hurry.
The guy finally left, but I found myself watching for him when I went for my salad and smoothie. I got the distinct impression he was the kind to hold a grudge. And a knife.
Weird.
It was just that sort of day. The wind kicked things around and made everyone a little jumpy.
I think I'm very glad I won't be downtown tomorrow night, when it's really Halloween and people will feel even less inhibited.
Of course by the time a lot of you read this, it WILL be Halloween! I hope you have a wonderful time, and don't let the freaks scare you too much!
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