Life is full of crazy occurrences. Sometimes things happen to us that are so outrageous no one even believes they are actually true. These people tell some of their outlandish stories that will leave anyone reading thinking, “No way”! True tales are indeed the spice of life.
1. Caught Red Handed
A surprising act of karma found its way to a thief who stole from us. I was just a kid, about 12, while my older brother was 17. He was the lucky one who got to drive the family truck, our beloved 1968 maroon Chevy 2500. He was still in high school, working part-time in retail, and one late evening, the truck must have caught the eye of a criminal. After disappearing from the parking lot for a week, our family was gutted—the truck was a family heirloom with sentimental value. One day, while we were all engaged in farm work, an unexpected guest arrived needing our help. He said he'd run out of gas.
Being good-natured country people, we didn't hesitate to lend a hand. As we approached their truck, it was clear to us we were staring at our familiar maroon Chevy. A hush fell over my family as we were checking out the truck which was identical to ours. As naive as we may have seemed, we were by no means fools. My mother decided to start a conversation. She complimented the truck and asked, "What year is it?"
He gave an innocent reply, saying "Probably '69, it's my grandpa's"—but we could see through the ruse. As my mom peeked inside the truck, spotting a jerry-rigged ignition and gas can in the cab, suspicion turned into a certainty. She retorted, "No, I think that's a '68. You want to know how I'm so sure?" When queried she hollered, "Because that's my truck!"
Caught red-handed, the thief stumbled over his words, unable to worm his way out. With the situation spiraling out of control, he dashed off, leaving his female companion behind, who soon followed suit. We fetched my brother, who immediately jumped on his bike to give chase, unfortunately to no avail.
Thieves gone, we moved the truck into the garage and took some time to calm down. They left an unexpected surprise—they had filled it with bags of personal items and records, giving us plenty to rummage through. They had damaged the carburetor and improvised a fuel system since they couldn't switch between the truck's three gas tanks. We notified law enforcement and were able to identify the culprits in a lineup, but they were never apprehended. We like to believe that the truck just wanted to find its way back home.
2. A Puddle Of Cash
I've always been baffled by this story. Back in my primary school days, my brother and I were trudging home on a day that had drowned in rain. Suddenly, he started dipping his hand into the puddles along the way. I asked him, curious to what he was up to. The strangeness of his reply took me aback.
He said, "You might find money in these sometimes". And you know what? Few puddles later, he fished out a crisp $20 bill. Now, I can't say for sure if he sneakily concealed it there earlier or if it was genuinely a lucky find. But regardless, now I find myself scanning puddles for hidden treasures when no one's looking.
3. I One-Upped Mr. Miyagi
Here's the most amazing thing that's happened to me. I was just a 15-year-old, alone at home and in my kitchen slicing up a pineapple. This fly started zooming about my face, bugging me for a good two minutes. It got to the point of major irritation.
Then, purely out of frustration, I found myself swinging my knife at the pesky fly still in the air. And would you believe it? I sliced the fly right in two! Right then and there, though, I knew nobody would ever believe my story.
4. Why Did The Duck Cross The Road?
I still chuckle about my husband's quirky experience. We were on the road, heading to see a buddy, but got lost on a Pennsylvania highway. As luck would have it, my husband's friend whizzed past us going the other direction. Spotting him, we did a U-turn to catch up. After finally pulling over, we found ourselves discussing directions to our friend's place, standing on the shoulder of a two-lane highway.
Cornfields and other farmland were surrounding us. Suddenly, an unexpected visitor came into view—a single duck appeared from the other side of the road. The duck seemed intrigued as it watched us chat. It carefully checked both directions, then waddled decisively across the road towards us. Cars were beeping as they swerved to avoid it.
To our amusement, the duck approached my husband, gave his shoe a single peck, then bravely darted back across the high-speed traffic. Safely on the other side, the duck vanished into the fields again. This duck had risked its life just to peck at my husband's shoe and then nonchalantly waddled out of our lives, leaving us laughing.
5. Friendly Fire?
What I'm going to share with you was absolutely the scariest moment I've ever lived through. Picture this: I was just 16, strolling back home when suddenly, a car crept up behind me. In it were four men, faces hidden beneath ski masks, and a gun ominously sticking out of the window. I heard the chilling "click" of the gun!
My response was instant—I hopped over a nearby hedge and sprinted like never before, my heart thudding in my ears. A voice from the car called out, "Hold on, we don't mean to hurt you!" But I wasn't fooled into thinking this was a harmless joke, these guys sure seemed like local troublemakers... By the way, my home was in Ireland.
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6. Hairy Bush Baloney
Back in the day, I found it amusing to playfully tamper with Wikipedia articles. I found it hilarious to bluff that the kiwi fruit was once known as "hairy bush fruit". So, I decided to edit the kiwi fruit page with my made-up fact. Random Chinese characters from the page—"毛木果 máo mù guǒ"—were added alongside my prank, translating to 'hairy bush fruit'.
Unexpectedly, this joke spiraled further than I could've anticipated. It scattered across the internet, returning 61,000 mentions on Google. Even The Guardian newspaper reported it, unwittingly cementing it as a seemingly verifiable truth. This possibly irreversible change on the kiwi's page is both amusing and worryingly influential. The journalist who penned that Guardian article ought to have disclosed using Wikipedia as a source but failed to do so.
7. The Palm Reader
Even now, all these years later, I'm still unable to comprehend what happened. Back when I was a troubled teenager, I remember spending hours on end in my room, sulking over some girl. The following day, a friend of mine approached me and said, "I saw you". She not only knew what my room looked like, she also knew exactly where I had been sitting. Interestingly, she was correct when she pointed out that I wasn't in my own bed, but rather my brother's. The whole thing was kind of spooky.
This friend of mine was known for her ability to read palms. One particular day, she was doing a reading for my girlfriend when she suddenly stopped. Making up an excuse on the spot, she abruptly left the scene. A couple of years down the line, my girlfriend's father tragically passed away. She attended his funeral and, at that point, confessed that she had foreseen this happening. It was at that moment that she decided to stop palm reading. When I inquired about this a few years later, she confirmed that she had somehow lost her so-called powers. It didn’t seem to bother her in any way; she simply moved past it.
8. How I Met Your Mutt
As I was heading to catch the bus, I noticed a dog calmly strolling around. He came up to me, received some gentle pats, and yet continued to follow me even when I moved on. Despite there being other people, this dog glued himself to me. We were early and nearing the well-trafficked bus station, but my hope of losing him before reaching there didn't plan out.
With the bus in sight, I couldn't help but wonder, would he chase after the bus? Or even get on board? My destination was a bustling place—neither scenarios were favorable. So, I decided on the only viable solution—I turned around and headed home. On my journey back, I dialed my dad, explaining that I'd unexpectedly picked up a canine tail.
Initially, he chuckled, suspecting it to be a creative excuse for skipping school. Yet, he played along, committing to take us to the local dog shelter. You can just imagine his face when I arrived home, with a dog in tow. So off we went, dropping the dog at the shelter. About a week later, we received an unexpected call.
The shelter informed us that nobody had come forward to claim the dog or even report him missing. My dad had eyes for a different breed, but seeing as this furry friend had taken a liking to me, he thought, "Well, this is the dog".
9. Ring Toss Regret
I escorted my 5-year-old neighbor to a carnival hosted at my previous elementary school, having no inkling I was about to encounter an unforgettable moment. I bumped into Kristen—an extremely beautiful 19-year-old girl who used to tease me back when we were in sixth grade.
We hadn't crossed paths since we were 12, as we attended different high schools, but we recognized each other right away. I found her tending the ring toss game that was stocked with dozens of two-liter cola bottles; 20 painted blue and five red.
Kristen and I chatted a bit, expressing surprise over not having seen each other for such a long time. She looked stunning, which had me tongue-tied. Meanwhile, my young neighbor, Ryan, was itching to play the game, hoping for me to win him a prize. I finally caved in, handing Kristen $3 for five rings. The rings were notably small—their circumference barely exceeding the cola bottle's neck, making the game challenging.
The rings were also extremely light, bouncing wildly if thrown. You'd win a small prize for landing a ring on a blue bottle, and a big one for landing on a red. Kristen grazed me with a smile and wished me luck. Without bothering much with aiming, I began hurling the rings. Astonishingly, the first ring landed flawlessly on a red bottle. Then, it seemed like the universe conspired to help me.
Subsequent rings, two to five, incredibly all landed on the identical bottle. The spectacle happened within a span of about four seconds, all the while maintaining eye contact with Kristen. She was floored, and Ryan was ecstatic. I felt invincible and speechless for a solid five seconds. When I found my voice, I asked, "What's my prize?" Kristen, utterly amazed, responded: "What... what do you WANT?"—I felt victorious.
Looking back, I realize I could've asked for anything. Asking her out or asking for her phone number were options. I even could’ve romantically embraced her. Instead, my request was: "I'll take that ninja-turtle right there." "The blue one," Ryan excitedly added. And, just like that, my chance slipped away.
Slowly, Kristen handed Ryan a big stuffed Leonardo doll. My heart dropped; the magic moment had passed. We waved bye, and I was left feeling disappointed. I trudged away, mentally preparing to bang my head on the nearest wall when Ryan tugged me towards the balloon game.
Wikimedia Commons, Jorge Royan
10. Fifth Of July Freakout
On a July 5th, my friends and I enjoyed some leftover fireworks, but the night took an odd turn. I resided on the hilly North Shore of Long Island, specifically by the Sound. We walked somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 a mile along a sand dune cliff's edge to reach an open area where we could ignite the fireworks.
A narrow path led us along the cliff's edge with a buffer of brush to our left and down below a 100ft drop. Deep forest stretched out on our right. This forest, about 2-3 miles deep, marked the boundary of the state park and lined the right side of our trail.
At around 3 AM, we wrapped up our firework show and began to trek back, now with the cliff/beach on our right and the forest on our left. Suddenly, we heard leaves rustling in the forest.
We moved forward, but after about ten more steps the rustling noise closed in even more. We all went quiet and started to walk faster. Just twenty feet further, an unsettling encounter transpired.
A man around his 50s emerged from the trees and stood directly in our path. He was wearing a brown pinstripe suit, complemented by a matching top hat, holding a black briefcase, and sporting Roosevelt-style glasses.
He greeted us with, "Well good evening boys, how are you tonight"? Without hesitation, we high-tailed it out of there, not glancing back. I'm still genuinely puzzled and a bit perturbed about what the man could have been doing out there; it continues to spook me to this day.
Freepik,master1305
11. Prima Donna Deion?
When I was around seven, I was at a minor league game, watching none other than Deion Sanders. All I wanted was a simple wave, but he brushed me off. In frustration, I blurted out "What a prima donna," and the bewildered expression he gave me was something to behold.
Fast forward to the twilight of his career with Dallas, when I found myself waiting in line to catch a flight. A large entourage was blocking the line and I couldn't hold back my annoyance. "Who's the prima donna causing this delay?" I shouted. As the crowd split apart, I was taken aback.
Lo and behold, I was staring directly at Deion Sanders. A spark of recollection flickered across his face before he turned back to converse with the ticket attendant, but there was still a puzzled look etched on his face.
Wikimedia Commons, Michael J. Cargill
12. Bashed By Bambi
During my middle school days, I was heading out to the driveway to wait for the school bus. That's when I spotted a charming fawn, just about ten yards off. I was admiring how adorable it was—then, suddenly, the craziest thing happened. Its mother burst out from the trees.
She rammed into my hip and then dashed back into the forest with her little one. I ended up with a bruised hip that lasted a week. Nobody would buy my story about how I got the bruise.
13. A Whizziard’s Compliment
So, picture this: I was around 16, enjoying some food at a Melbourne restaurant with my cousin. I couldn't help but notice a young lad who looked eerily like Daniel Radcliffe having a meal with his folks. I nudged my cousin, joking, "Hey, isn't that Harry Potter over there?" The response I got was a bemused, "Well, yeah, 'cos that is Harry Potter!" And indeed, it was. Apparently, he was in town shooting an Australian film.
Fast forward a little while, and I was off to the bathroom. You won't believe it—Daniel saunters in while I'm at the urinal. Our eyes met as he stepped up to the one beside mine. Now, whenever I recount his next words, I’m met with disbelief.
Saying, "Nice wand", he concluded his business, washed up, and walked out. People have always been skeptical about this story, especially that particular comment. My cousin can confirm we encountered him, but can't vouch for the infamous bathroom dialogue. It's a tale as unbelievable as it is unforgettable.
14. Powers Unite!
When I was a little kid, around six or seven years old, I adored the Power Rangers. They had just hit the scene and were the epitome of all that was awesome in my world. I was such a fan that I even joined their fan club. I remember one day when I came face-to-face with them at the Discovery Zone.
As it turned out, the Power Rangers had dropped in for a child's private birthday party. Oh, how I longed to meet them! I begged my dad to let me sneak in and he refused. He said I wasn't invited, didn't know anyone there, and I would get thrown out. Logically, he was right. But that didn't deter my determined little heart.
Despite his warnings, I found myself drawn back to that private room. Silently, I opened the door and tiptoed into the exciting scene of kids partying with the Power Rangers, who were warmly engaging with everyone.
To my pure delight, I got to interact with them, shake their hands, and even hug them—an absolute milestone in my young life! While my dad appeared shocked, he ventured into the room to retrieve me and apologize. Yet, surprisingly, no one seemed bothered by my presence or the fact that they didn't know me or my dad.
In retrospect, the parents were likely strangers to each other, there simply to accompany their kids. And, in my innocent mind, I had made a thrilling connection with the real Power Rangers—not costumed stand-ins, but the television actors themselves! But at that time, I didn't know about acting, so to me, they truly were the Power Rangers, superheroes who battled monsters.
I passed an unforgettable hour with these newfound friends and the Power Rangers before I bid them all farewell. They responded like we were old pals. Everyone was so kind and relaxed; it was a memorable day—the kids, the Power Rangers, the unconcerned parents, and al.
15. Shadow In The Hall
A year ago, I had a spine-chilling experience in the dead of night. I woke up and, to my terror, I saw a figure standing in the hallway outside my room. Fear constricted me, so much so that I couldn't even muster up the courage to grab my phone, a mere reach away. I lay frozen, anticipating imminent harm, but it never came, and not even a sound was heard despite my utmost attention.
When I mustered the nerve to check again, the figure had disappeared. I've stopped sharing this story because of the dismissive responses I usually receive. I want to be clear: I'm not one to scare easily, and I didn't make this up. It wasn't a shadow, I wasn't half-asleep or dreaming, and it wasn't any mundane object like a closet door, a pile of laundry, or my dog. It wasn't some trick of light either. There was undoubtedly a person standing in my hallway.
16. Pennies From Heaven
An officer rang me up, informing me that if I didn't settle some outstanding fines within seven days, I risked being taken into custody. The amount owed was exactly $267.63. As it was only two weeks away from Christmas, I felt extremely anxious. Strangely enough, the following day, I got a sign from the universe...
I received a mail with a check for exactly $267.63, a refund for the child support I had overpaid all year. It was the most astonishing, hard-to-explain event that ever occurred in my life.
17. I Nocked Her Out Once And For All
Back in middle school, I had to deal with a considerably relentless bully, a girl, who troubled me non-stop. She was so bold that she even yanked me around by my hair on one occasion.
Understandably, I despised her, but my options were limited due to the constant presence of teachers and parents, and also because she was physically bigger than me. However, an opportunity for payback arrived during our school camp trip to a location equipped with an archery range and wooden cabins.
Archery was right up my alley, and I was quite skilled at it. One evening, I stayed back after everyone had retreated, to practice by myself since the camp staff trusted me. I was enjoying my solitary archery session when the bully saw me from a distance. She couldn't resist but launch her usual onslaught of verbal jibes at me. I struggled to shut her out, thinking she wouldn't dare to advance onto the archery range while I continued with my practice.
Surprisingly, she thought it a brilliant idea to leap over the fence and declared her intentions of 'teaching me a lesson' for ignoring her. By then, she was roughly 100 meters away. Fear was definitely present, although anger, fueled by her constant harassments, took precedence. With an arrow already drawn in my bow, I warned her back saying, "I'll hit you right in the face. Back off." But alas, the girl stuck to her belligerence and continued her charge. It was clear to me then what I had to do.
So, I did just that. I shot the arrow which ended up chipping off part of her EAR. Suffice to say, this terrified her enough to make a hasty retreat. She did try to report me, but her story found no takers. That was the last I heard from her.
18. From Rod To Reel
When I was around 11 years old, I attended a huge children's fishing event. There was a fun lottery system that paired all the participating kids with guides; they simply picked names from a hat. As luck would have it, my name got picked first! That paired my brother and me with the top guide, who turned out to be some sort of pro fisherman.
Interestingly, this guide was the only one who had his own personal cameraman. A real cameraman followed us around. Basically, our guide was fairly famous in the fishing world. So, every time my brother and I caught a fish, we were filmed. He told us there was a slight chance we might end up in his videos or even on a fishing TV show, but nothing was confirmed.
One Sunday morning, while watching ESPN before church, I suddenly saw myself and my little brother on screen, catching a walleye. Regrettably, my parents were busy getting prepared and my brother was in the shower, so no one else saw it.
It was a crazy surprise! This happened in the pre-DVR era, so I couldn’t have planned a recording. We were on ESPN for about half a minute—most likely the highlight moment of my fame!
19. I Couldn’t Dodge The Dimple Drive
When I was about 8 years old, my dad and I had a blast playing with a Nerf Whistler football in our yard. My dad, who had an impressive throw back in the day, thought it would be a great idea to aim a fast one into the back of his truck from a distance of about 30 yards. Just as he was about to make his move, I started to rush inside. But then, something unexpected happened.
Suddenly, I was hit by the Whistler so hard that it resulted in a permanent dimple on my cheek.
Fortunately, the impact was right on my jawline, exactly where dimples are usually found. This is likely why people find my story hard to believe, but it's true! The memory of that shrill whistle approaching my face at top speed still sends chills down my spine.
20. A Tale With Perfect Timing
My pals and I were all chilling at my place when my friend, who we call Asian Nate, started sharing a rather unsavory story. To be honest, Nate wasn't the best when it came to storytelling. Jeremiah, another buddy of mine, got up to use the washroom in the middle of Nate's tale. Nate had taken a comfy spot in the La-Z-Boy planted in the corner of the living room.
The washroom Jeremiah popped into was located at the far end of the room, down a short corridor. If I'd to guess, I'd say the recliner was a fair 20 feet away from the washroom door. Asian Nate's long-winded story gave Jeremiah plenty of time to pee, freshen up his hands, and step back into the corridor to catch the tail-end of the story. This is when things got interesting.
It seemed Jeremiah found his hands a tad rough and so he decided to get our big Jergens lotion bottle from the washroom. Standing in the hallway, he continued to listen to Nate's story while applying the lotion. Looks like Jeremiah might have gone overboard with the lotion as the bottle slipped out of his hands right when Nate was wrapping up his story.
What happened next was a beautiful twist of physics that's hard to express accurately. The lotion bottle executed a flawless flip, landing pump-first on the floor. An arc of lotion was propelled at crazy speed, ultimately landing in Nate's eye from an incredible 20 feet away. The unexpected chain of events that took place was nothing short of magical. I sincerely doubt I'll ever witness such an amusing and perfect turn of events, even if I grow to be 100. Such a remarkable memory!
21. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda…
It was the night before a winter holiday, and I was swamped with household duties that made me lose track of time. Before I could even notice, I had just three precious minutes left to reach my usual gas station and pick up my weekly lottery tickets. I assessed the situation and resigned that, even under the best conditions with no cars on the road, the measly four blocks were not doable within the time left.
The next day, I bravely checked the winning numbers and tossed a glance at the numbers I had scribbled and left on my bedside table. The sight was heart-wrenching. Had I been more observant that night and moved a bit faster, a whopping $150 million could have been mine. It was indeed one of the most soul-crushing moments I've ever had to endure.
22. A Series Of Unfortunate Events
My mom, my two sisters, my cousin and I headed to London to catch a Cirque du Soleil show in celebration of my cousin's birthday. Unfortunately, storm Eunice scattered chaos that day, leading to a trampoline on the train tracks and our eagerly-awaited train journey getting canceled.
Left with no choice, we decided to go for the evening performance at 7:30. This meant we had four long hours to kill in London until the show started. Finally, the time came and we settled in for the phenomenal show.
When it was time to head back, it was a struggle finding an Uber that would take us to the train station, resulting in all of them falling through. As a last resort, we decided to opt for a taxi, despite the pricy fare. Coincidentally, they knocked off £5 from our total, making the situation a little better. We boarded our train, destined for Burnt Oak station where our car was parked.
However, fate had other plans as the train seemingly stopped at every single station with the exception of ours, Burnt Oak. This forced us to disembark at the final station and navigate our way back to Burnt Oak through another slow Uber ride.
When we finally made it back to Burnt Oak, our car was smack in the middle of a crime scene due to an unfortunate incident that had taken place near the station. An officer escorted us to our car and we managed to make it home safely after quite an unforgettable day.
23. Communist Celebration
One day, I was minding my own business when an unexpected thought quite literally stopped me in my tracks. This thought felt different, as though it snuck up on me in a way thoughts normally don't. It was as if I had been struck with a force that made me come to a halt. The thought itself was simply a name—Mao Zedong. Puzzle by its sudden arrival, I brushed it off and kept walking.
Fast forward to the following day, when I found myself at a convenience store. On display was a newspaper that immediately grabbed my attention. Printed in bold was a three-inch-high headline, "MAO DIES". The article underneath it read, "News Doesn't Reach US for 24 Hours". Piecing the dates and times together, I realized that the odd thought I'd had the previous day had actually emerged about an hour after Mao's reported passing.
24. This Story Takes The Cake
My ancestor, five generations back, was Earl Bordeman. He's the one who came up with everyone's beloved quick cake mix. A dabbling inventor, he got this brainwave in his kitchen: replace a laundry list of cake ingredients with just eggs and milk. And just like that, he made a super simple, super quick mix.
He didn't think it was a big deal though, so he passed it on to his good friend, Marjorie Husted. To him, it was just another invention, but she saw its worth. Her next move showed her true colors—Marjorie started to claim it as her own and essentially erased my great-great-great grandpa from the picture. A few years back, my mom—from whom I inherited this lineage—reached out to Betty Crocker, Inc. to validate our claims.
All we wanted was a certificate, a document attesting to Earl Bordeman's contribution. But they wouldn't give us the time of day, let alone acknowledge our appeals. So my word's all I have—a rock-solid, 100% honest word. As a kid, I was mocked when I shared this story; people accused me of making it up. Though it didn't faze me a lot, I do ponder what if scenarios. If only old Earl had patented that mix and secured a share in the company, I might've been swimming in riches today.
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25. I’m Not Rolling With Her Story
I remember a time back in college when I was at Ikea with a group of buddies. My best friend and I ended up alone in an elevator heading down to the car park. In that elevator was a fresh cinnamon roll lying on the floor, with its icing still untouched. She dared me to have a bite.
But I wasn't gonna do that. Instead, she bent over, tugged off a piece from the top, and ate it. My reaction was all, "Eww, that's disgusting! I'm going to make sure everyone knows about your gross stunt!" Little did I know, she was ready to flip the script on me.
As the elevator doors slid open, she blurted out to everyone that I was the one who ate the floor cinnamon roll. To my surprise, everyone bought her story! And believe it or not, to this day, if I call her out on it, she still insists it was me who ate the fallen treat. But trust me, I DID NOT.
26. Creature In The Night
Driving back from a Northern Wisconsin wedding with my former girlfriend in the summer of 2010, I had quite a pleasant journey, given it was around 10 PM and we were alone on the quiet highway. Suddenly, after rounding a curve, I spotted a large, tan creature lurking by the roadside. Clearly, it was too big to be a cat and certainly not a dog.
I gently nudged my girlfriend, asking, "Did you catch a glimpse of that?" Confused, she responded, "What are you talking about?" I stated my suspicion, "I think I just spotted a mountain lion". She chuckled a bit, reassuring me that, "You're probably just exhausted. We don't have mountain lions around here". Even so, I couldn't help but keep checking the rearview mirror, but the darkness revealed nothing.
Nobody believed me when I insisted on seeing a mountain lion, not her nor her family. However, in the years following, an influx of similar sightings began to surface, making me more convinced about that encounter with a mountain lion.
27. The Sweet Taste Of Victory
During my sophomore year in high school, my good friend James and I were chilling in the ROTC room with one of the fun teachers. As morning turned to class time, I cracked open a Coke on our way out to start the day. Just then, the grumpy teacher from across the hall saw me sipping in the corridor.
She immediately started scolding me, threatening to report me for drinking in the hallway because we all know the typical chaos teenagers and beverages can create!
James and I just laughed it off and ignored her. Suddenly, I tripped over my own feet. I felt her stern gaze drilling into me from behind, and I braced myself for the inevitable.
Reactively, I stretched out my hands to prevent myself from falling, leaving my Coke to whatever fate had in store. James looked back to see what was happening, and witnessed everything. Somehow, against all odds, I didn't face plant, but instead regained my balance in three giant strides. All the while, my mind was screaming "Rescue the Coke, disregard your face!"
In a whirl, I flung out my hand three times, each connecting with the Coke can, causing it to twirl. I finally caught it mid-air-but that wasn't the most amazing part. Not a single drop was spilled. Everyone's astonishment hit the ground alongside my own. I turned to the grouchy teacher, gave her a head nod, took a victory sip of my Coke, and continued on my way. James burst into laughter at how epic it was to witness all this.
28. The Government Did It
Back in the 1950s, my grandpa served in the Navy and took part in Operation Castle—a series of nuclear tests held at Bikini Atoll. One of his missions even had him flying through a mushroom cloud following a nuclear blast. This moment changed his life forever—it left him with temporary sterility that lasted five years, after which my dad was conceived.
My dad was born with a missing chromosome fragment and later developed a type of cancer called multiple myeloma. Thankfully, after going through treatment, he's in a much better condition, although there's still a chance that cancer might come back. So, in essence, you could say the government's actions indirectly led to my dad developing cancer.
29. Teenage Knock Up
So here's the tale: When my buddy was 13 and the girl was 15, they unexpectedly became parents. Their paths crossed on a sunny beach in Panama City, Florida. She hailed from a wealthy family in Ohio, while he came from a less privileged background in Georgia.
He's kept the secret to himself and shared it only with me. Now 28 years old, he's the father of a 15-year-old youngster, but I'm the only one in on the secret. The sole reason it didn't blow up was that the girl's family was really loaded.
She was always tight-lipped about the identity of her child's father, sometimes sneaking off to visit him in Georgia. I only really bought into the story after seeing images of his kid.
His child, who's never had a chance to meet his dad, may not even be aware that my buddy exists. I would often let my mind wander to the scenario where, if anything happens to my friend, I'd have to break the news to his parents about their long-unknown grandchild. They've been grandparents for a solid 15 years without even realizing it.
30. Palming A Pike
Back when I was about 15 or 16, I found myself belly down on a deck, letting my hands just float in the water. It turned out I'd left my fishing pole at home, which left me pretty bored. So there I was, arms immersed in the lake while I watched the water, when out of nowhere a pike swam right between my hands. I grabbed hold of it with all my might and actually managed to pull it out of the water. Yes, I caught a fish with my bare hands! When I showed up home with a fish in hand, my mom couldn't believe her eyes. Naturally, she didn't believe my story one bit.
31. Life Imitating Art
When I was around fifteen, I was enjoying the swings at a local park. A storm was brewing that had cleared out the playground.
While swinging, I glanced up at the gray sky, and that's when I spotted it – a genuine UFO. I brought myself to a stop and rushed across the field for a better view. I wasn't imagining it; I was looking at a real-life flying saucer. From where I stood, it looked about the size of a dime.
This UFO looked just like the ones in those 1950s science fiction films I'd seen. Shiny, round, with a distinct dome in the center. The strangest part: it flirted sideways through the air, unlike the straight paths in the movies. I was frozen, gaze fixed on it for a full minute before it vanished into the gathering storm.
I sprinted the block back home and stormed through the front door, bursting with my alien encounter story for my dad. But the universe must've been playing a joke on me; on the TV was an episode of That 70's Show. Yup, the one where Kelso sees a UFO and tries to get everyone to believe him.
In the episode, Kelso’s UFO ended up being only airplane lights. After my rushed explanation, my dad looked from me to the TV and burst out laughing. After a few seconds, the absurdity hit me, and I joined in, laughing until I was out of breath. Spent the next hour desperately trying to convince my dad I had witnessed an actual UFO. Despite the funny circumstances, even now, I tell the story of how I saw a UFO that day, though no one ever truly believes me.
32. Horsing Around In The Hood
Once upon a time, one of my buddies lived in a district that was accessible only through quite a dodgy part of town. You'd encounter run-down vacant plots, notorious apartments that had seen their fair share of drug raids, and even a gambling joint that boasted its own security personnel. I remember leaving my friend's place around two in the morning after a fun-filled party.
Driving through the less desirable neighborhood, something caught my eye. There was a man, astride a horse, riding down the sidewalk with no saddle. Honestly, I had no idea how anyone in such a dense, low-quality apartment setting could get their hands on a horse, let alone have room to house it.
People usually dismiss my tale, and sometimes even I question the authenticity of what I experienced that night. Regardless, it's impossible for me to erase that image from my mind.
33. What In Tarnation Is That?!
During one summer, my four friends and I worked at a ranch near the Ibapah Indian Reservation, where my cousin had a trading post. The post was just half a mile away from the main road, accessible via a dirt path adorned with familiar tar lines. Interestingly, three or four names were inscribed in the tar a bit further down the road, of which I only recall one: George Cooks.
Oddly, his name appeared again further down the road. Naturally, our curiosity was piqued: who was George Cooks? We headed to the local cemetery to find out. There, we discovered a baby's grave marked "George C". That was eerie, but what was even stranger, was finding an adult grave that read "George C. Cooks", who had been around 30 at his time of death.
A week later, all my friends had gone home for various reasons, leaving me alone at the ranch. About 20 minutes after their departure, I began burning boxes in our fire barrel. The guys returned later in the day and joined me around the fire, and that's when one of them pointed out something strange on the barrel: "Where did you get the tar for that?"
Following his gaze, I was utterly baffled to see "George" scrawled in tar, in the same handwriting as we had seen on the road, as if carefully written with a fine-tipped marker. To this day, I can't seem to convince them it wasn't me who wrote it, despite the fact that I have notably lousy handwriting and an even worse cursive.
34. A Great Day With Green Day
At a Green Day concert, I was unexpectedly pulled on stage to play drums. While making my way to the stage, my knee dislocated, and I had to climb up to the drum set, my knee giving way at each step. Reaching the drums, Tre Cool and his drum tech saw me struggling and suggested I shouldn't play. Billy Jo then walked up to figure out the delay. When he heard about my knee, he simply said over the microphone to the crowded Bank Atlantic Center, "Broke his knee? Just shake it off, man. It's drum playing time"! And so, I played "Knowledge", a cover song by Operation Ivy, alongside Billy Jo Armstrong and Mike Dirnt. After I finished a drum solo, Tre jokingly called me a jerk, but then remembering my condition, assisted me off the stage.
Backstage, paramedics examined my injury. Billy Jo's wife instructed everyone to give me a piece of every merchandise from their booth, but the lawyers swiftly escorted her away. All I got were the drumsticks I played with, which I unfortunately lost later. Then, it was just me and a helper who asked if I needed anything.
Down the hallway, I saw Jim Atkins talking with someone else. I was a big fan of Jimmy Eat World, the opening act. So I asked if I could meet him? She relayed my request to him and returned with his response: "He will come by when he's done chatting. But from what I've seen, don't too get your hopes up".
Then she departed to fetch me some water. As I chatted with the paramedic, suddenly, Jim appeared by my side, dramatically placing his hands over my knee and joking, "GET OUT OF HIM SATAN! GET OUT"! After chuckling, he enquired about my ordeal. His response after hearing my account was, "You were chosen on stage with Green Day, and you broke your knee? How unfortunate"!
He then pulled up a chair and hung out with me for 30 minutes until the show ended and I was shown out by the concert staff. That concert in 2005, when I was just 20, was hands down, the best experience of my life.
35. Runaway Golf Cart
Once upon a time, at a late-night trade show, most attendees were heading home. Out with a few buddies, we nestled up to the bar that was still serving, exposed to the event pathway. Out of nowhere, a kid typically seen begging at traffic lights pulled up in a golf cart, speeding like a bullet in reverse.
He plowed right into a newlywed couple and I bore witness as the wife was launched and landed in a bush bristling with thorns. The whole scene was beyond belief. Soon after, expo security swooped in to whisk away the teary-eyed kid. Most people have a hard time believing this outlandish tale when I narrate it. I, on the other hand, find it hilariously peculiar and believe I'm the lucky one who got to be part of such a wildly ludicrous event.
36. Oh, Shih Tzu! There Goes The Dog!
I grew up on a farm located in an isolated area. One regular Saturday, as a kid, I was busy with my everyday chores. A few weeks back, my mother had brought home a Shih Tzu that seemed peculiarly odd amongst our two large farm dogs—one was a Lab-Rottweiler mix while the other was a German Shepherd—and the rest of our farming animals.
So, my brother and I were feeding the chickens while our mom was busily tending the garden when out of nowhere, my brother's bag of seeds suddenly hit the ground.
Following this, I heard my mother begin to sob. Captured in a state of confusion, I turned around to see my brother pointing towards the sky. Following his gaze, my heart sank. Our little puppy Canine was gripped securely in the sharp claws of a Golden Eagle, gradually disappearing into the distance.
Later that day, my dad returned from work. On learning about the afternoon's distressing episode, he provided a memorable response, a line that will stay in our hearts forever, he announced with a subtle smirk, "I guess God really does answer the prayers".
37. Gone In The Blink Of An Eye
When my grandpa passed away, I didn't attend his funeral since I was too young, only about 8, and knew I wouldn't be able to cope with it. A few weeks on, I began to despise myself, constantly repeating "I should've gone" in my thoughts, at least five times daily. Then one day, while my brother and I were engrossed in a game on the Wii.
I glanced back to see my grandpa, sitting comfortably on a chair in the room, grinning. He comforted me, saying, "It's alright, everything will work out". I couldn't help the tears that welled up in my eyes and I blurted out, "Grandpa"? But in the blink of an eye, he disappeared.
38. The Evil Had Landed
My girlfriend and I were moving into our new apartment. I began a load of laundry while she stepped out to the car to grab a few more things. The moment she was out of sight, I felt a chilling presence behind me. It was as if a menacing, wrathful force was uncomfortably close, just out of sight. I felt rooted to the spot, unable to make a sound. There I stood, frozen, as the entity seemed to press even closer before rising about a foot into the air.
Inside, I was mentally begging my girlfriend to return. It felt like a painful eternity, but after five minutes, she reappeared and the oppressive atmosphere vanished immediately. I was going to keep it to myself because it was simply too far-fetched. However, when I faced her, she noticed my pallor and the sweat soaking my shirt. So, I confessed.
She was understanding enough to not dismiss my experience. Whether it was real or imagined, we may never know, for nothing out of the ordinary occurred for the subsequent two and a half years after that event.
39. KISS And Tell
When I was 16, I had a night out bar-hopping with friends. As we headed to the next bar, we found ourselves amidst a massive crowd. My slightly tipsy self managed to squeeze through the crowd until I reached the center. And there stood KISS, shimmering from head to toe. Overwhelmed, I collapsed at their feet because my legs just gave out. I vividly remember their footwear—towering metallic platform shoes with spikes.
I mustered an appeal: "Please don't step on me. You'll end my life". Next thing I know, I was being hoisted up by either Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley. I mumbled something about the "Phantom in the Park", only to be chastised for underage drinking. They passed me to my friends, who quickly escorted me away from the crowd and KISS.
40. Wrongfully Accused
When I was a kid, my little brother and I used to spend our days with babysitters. For a while, we had the same sitter who we'd visit for several months. The moment we stepped into her home, my job was to hang up our coats. She had clothes hangers conveniently positioned near the entrance to the basement. My brother was too short to reach them, so I always placed his coat up for him.
However, one time, my brother was adamant that he wanted to hang up his own coat. Despite my concerns, I let him give it a shot. Turned out, not the best idea. He chose the hanger closest to the basement stairs, and while stretching on the tips of his toes, he lost balance and toppled down the stairs.
When she heard his cries, our babysitter immediately blamed me, accusing me of pushing my own brother. Later, she informed my mom about the incident. Even to this day, no one trusts my side of the story. I would never do anything to harm my little brother.
41. Party Mama
I found myself in Sao Paulo, Brazil for business, and on the eve of my departure, I found myself craving a nightcap. However, the hotel's lounge was closed for a private event, leaving me in a bit of a predicament as I didn't particularly want to venture out into the city alone that late.
Initiating a conversation with one of the security personnel, a woman soon approached and asked if something was amiss. I shared with her my desire for a drink, insisting that I didn't mean to create a fuss.
Her grasp of English was impressive as she proceeded to inform me that they were celebrating post-nuptial festivities, thus the lounge closure. She was a charming and attractive woman, likely in her late forties but with a refreshing glow about her. Generously, she invited me to her suite for a drink, to which I gladly accepted.
We navigated a whirlwind half an hour, during which it seemed we touched upon everything in sight, only for her to abruptly announce her need to rejoin the lounge gathering. My curiosity piqued, I inquired why she was in such haste. Keeping her casual composure, she revealed that she was the bride's mother! It was like living in a real-life Mastercard commercial.
42. A Night Of WrestleManiacs
I used to have a job serving drinks at a local bar, and one of my coworkers was a woman who had once been married to a pro wrestler. One evening, a few legendary wrestlers—the British Bulldog, Sid Vicious, and Macho Man Randy Savage—sauntered into our bar for a drink and to chat with her.
They stayed, hanging out and having drinks the entire night. Later on, she whispered to me that they were seeking some illicit substances. I reached out to my local guy and he delivered what they needed. Another bartender and I scored an invite to continue the party with them once our shift ended. I have to say, I didn't see the rest of the night's events coming.
The festivities moved to a stretch limousine as Sid and Macho Man invited me along to their hotel. Upon our arrival, we spotted Mean Gene Okerlund, another wrestling superstar, surrounded by a group of young women. But the highlight of not only that night, but possibly my entire life, happened at an everyday stoplight.
We pulled up next to some pedestrians waiting to cross, and Macho Man half popped out of the limo's sunroof and hollered at the top of his lungs, "SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM”!!! Half of the people waiting to cross were scared out of their wits, but then the cheers started. A chuckle escapes me to this day anytime I think about that night.
43. Aye Chihuahua!
When I was just a 12-year-old kid, I had this adorable chihuahua named Taco. He got his name because he was the spitting image of the chihuahua from those popular Taco Bell ads. Living on Florida's Gulf Coast, I decided one day to take Taco for a little stroll so he could do his business. With their tiny little legs, chihuahuas aren't exactly speedy runners, which makes it easy to nab them if they try to scoot off, so we didn't use a leash.
Taco was doing his thing, when my typical 12-year-old attention span got hooked by two lizards getting cozy on a nearby tree. Suddenly, a shadow zipped by and then I heard a small "Yelp!" I quickly turned, looked, and froze in shock. Taco was being carried off into the sunset by some bird of prey—maybe an eagle or a hawk.
All I could do was let out a helpless cry, "Taco, NOOOOOOO!" But there was nothing I could do. Later, I shared this wild tale with my mom, but she remains skeptical about it till this day. I sure do miss my little Taco.
44. Later, Gator
When I was 7 years old, my dad took me to the Florida Everglades for a fishing trip. I remember using a small, blue Snoopy-themed fishing rod since the grown-up poles were too big for me.
It was on this trip that I snagged a gigantic bass. I was so happy—but only for a few seconds. As I was reeling in the bass, a massive alligator shot in from the left. In a spur of the moment, our guide had to let go of the rod to avoid getting his hand caught as the alligator aimed for the bass.
The alligator began wrestling with the fish on our line, thrashing in the water for a good minute or so. I was left to hold onto the rod because my dad was too caught up in capturing this remarkable scene and hollering, "HOLY JESUS CHRIST". Eventually, the line gave way and the gator disappeared with my bass. Back home, our story was met with disbelief.
To worsen matters, we had no photographic proof of our adventure—mom had accidentally loaded the film in our camera backward before we left. So, despite our exciting encounter, we returned with no memorable photos. What a bummer.
Wikimedia Commons, Jamie Sanford
45. Famous First Words
The night I arrived into this world, my dad had a severe seizure and fell unconscious. At that moment, doctors uncovered a shocking truth. It appeared he had a brain tumor about the size of a golf ball that was growing. So, as my mom was in the boundless throes of labor, they were hastily readying my dad for an emergency brain operation. Those were the 1970s. Not exactly primitive times, but certainly nowhere near the technologically advanced times we're blessed with today.
Before he was sedated, my aunt let him know my mom's labor was underway, and added a little tidbit: whatever he was wishing for the most before he went under anesthesia would be the first thing he'd desire when he woke up. I was born and settled snugly in the hospital nursery a good hour or two before he resurfaced from surgery. Upon waking, the very first thing he asked for was a steak.
Freepik,wayhomestudio
46. A Dog’s Life
During my childhood, my uncle and I once visited a local convenience store, just a short walk from where we lived. A Rottweiler was there and he ended up trailing behind us all the way home. Given it was the '80s, and abandoned dogs were a common sight around our town, we just assumed he was a stray and decided to keep him.
Fast forward two weeks, we took our new friend to the park opposite the store. To our surprise, a man there recognized the dog and called him by his name. The dog clearly knew him. It seemed we had unintentionally found the owner. The man tried to take the dog, Bear, back and put him in his car.
But Bear had other plans, he leapt out of the car window and darted after us. Seeing this, the man just shrugged and said we could keep Bear, as he seemed to prefer my uncle's company.
47. Scared Stiff In The Subway
One late night, my friends and I were on our way home. As we waited for the subway, we individually snuck off to the platform's edge to answer nature's call behind a utility closet. The first friend returned and remarked, "There's something odd back there." The next friend went and came back confirming, "Yep, there's something big covered in a trash bag."
When it was my turn, I noticed a large object wrapped in several trash bags and bound tightly with duct tape. Peering closer, I spotted the bottom of soiled trousers and sneakers poking from the bag. Despite being somewhat inebriated, I could tell it was a human body. The three of us were flabbergasted, discussing this horrifying discovery when a nearby homeless woman overheard us. Suddenly, the situation became more terrifying.
She cautioned, "You weren't supposed to see that. He'll be very angry when he discovers you know." She continued to mutter about how this man—presumably, the one who hid the body—would then hunt us down. Needless to say, we were terrified and left the scene as fast as possible.
48. Sitting On The Razor’s Edge
At the age of 15, a buddy of mine shared his personal grooming tip involving trimming his body hair, and mentioned that it was popular with the girls. Inspired, I decided to give it a go. However, I didn't own a razor considering my facial hair was still in its early stages. So, I secretly used my mom's vibrantly pink razor and safely tucked myself in the bathroom to get started.
After lathering up with shaving cream, I began the process when suddenly, the door burst open—and all I could do was scream in shock.
My mom barged in, pants half down and on the verge of using the bathroom. The sight of me in an unusual stance over the toilet with her beloved pink razor now clogged with my hair could only be described as shocking.
Upon exiting the bathroom —after she was done waiting outside—she sternly asked me to refrain from taking her razor again. The incident remains unspoken of between us and when I shared it with my buddies, they found it hard to believe. T
hey met my mom, an introverted and deeply religious woman, and she expectedly denied such a tale ever occurring. Looking back, the incident, as mortifying as it was then, now appears absolutely comical.
Freepik, karlyukav
Sources: Reddit,
