Would you find it freaky if a co-worker who lives far away runs into you in your neighborhood?

[Anonymous]

I ran into my co-worker when taking DD to the playground where we live. He lives really far away, about 1 hour drive away and I always found him weird. He was with the family, his wife and kids, which he introduced me to. There was a look of utter shock in my face when I saw him in what is essentially our "backyard", we live really close to the playground. He must have felt like he had to explain, so he said, they came to visit a friend, who lives in the area. There was a woman who then came up to his wife and started talking to her, she seemed to be that friend, but he didn't introduce me to her. The woman - the friend, does look familiar to me, as I've seen her on the playground before, so, the story added up in my mind, but I still feel weird about the encounter. DH's first thought was that the guy might have been stalking me.

The truth is, we lived in this area for 3 years and I worked at this company with this co-worker for 8 months already, but I have never seen him before and we go to the playground every day. It's a far drive for them, so maybe that's why they haven't visited that friend frequently. He does know the area where I live, not the exact address of course, so that is why it feels a bit weird.

This guy and I don't have the best relationship at work, we had a few confrontations in the meetings with others and he tends to insert himself into people's business to elevate his position. Other co-workers described him as someone to stay away from. Otherwise, our relationship is pretty neutral, we say hi when we see each other and all is very professional and civil. Truthfully, I don't exactly like working with him and usually avoid him in the office. So, when I saw him in the playground, I said "oh no", I can't escape from work, the least thing I need is being followed by people I don't want to do much with during the work week on my weekends.

[Anonymous]

It would un-nerve me, too, but it does sound like this was a freaky coincidence.

[Anonymous]

I think you...or your DH...are being paranoid. The other woman at the park knew him, and looked familiar to you...if he was a stalker how would he have worked that out. Also, what sort of stalker brings his whole family along.

[Anonymous]

Um, sounds like your coworker and his family were visiting a friend in your area and probably took the kids to the playground to let them run around and play. And you sound very paranoid, OP. Haven't you ever visited a friend in another area and taken your kids outside to play? I've visited millions of parks and playgrounds in the burbs of MD and VA with my kids yet I am not stalking anyone.

[Anonymous]

The family that stalks together stays together? Really?

OP, you have an overinflated sense of self!

[Anonymous]

OP do you really think people are following you?

[Anonymous]

No, I would find it freaky to see someone in a public park with his family while he was visiting a friend.

I do find it a bit freaky that your DH's first thought was that he (and his whole family!) might be stalking you.

[Anonymous]

I doubt the guy brought his wife and kids to a park near your house to stalk you. I go to visit friends in Baltimore and know an old coworker lives up there but I don't go to stalk him.

You'd be surprised how many people know each other. Your neighbors can know friends of yours from high school and college and you never would guess.

[Anonymous]

Umm--I 'd be surprised ro run into him-- but he was there visiting a friend. He didn't go there to see you. You are reading way too much into this. We have a lot of couple friends that moved to other parts of the region once we all had kids and sometimes only get to see them once a year or so.

[Anonymous]

Is this person of a different background OP?

[Anonymous]

He's not stalking you, but I understand that when you see someone you don't like out of the 'regular' area, it doesn't feel cool

[Anonymous]

Well aren't you a little full of yourself? OP, it's a coincidence, the guy was clearly visiting a friend with his family and they wanted to take the kids to the park. Yes, it's weird to run into a work person outside of work, but get over it and get over yourself. I hope you were nice to him.

[Anonymous]

Imagine what he thought, "Damn, there is that crazy chick from work."

[Anonymous]

I don't think he's stalking you. Just a coincidence. Move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I would find it freaky to see someone in a public park with his family while he was visiting a friend.

I do find it a bit freaky that your DH's first thought was that he (and his whole family!) might be stalking you.

OP here, I agree with all that you and PPs are saying. I was actually a bit embarrassed about the look my face must have had when I saw him. I just saw him first without his family sitting there alone, that's why I had this horror on my face. Then, when I saw the rest of the family I relaxed and obviously he explained why he was there. I totally get it that this is just a coincidence and it's not even the craziest one I've had. It's not like we met accidentally in Paris, which is what happened when I ran into an acquaintance of mine. We live in the same metro area and such encounters are possible. I think DH must have been more paranoid, because he heard all the negative stories I told him about this guy when I had confrontations with him, it was a bad time for me at work and he made it more difficult, so DH just naturally has a bad opinion about the guy.

Also, I do have a co-worker who lives in my area a few blocks away, but I never ran into her, so it was just unusual and shocking to run into this particular guy of all the people, I just felt stifled for a second.