Let's Not Meet: A True Horror Podcast - 9x16: Out of the Shadows - Let's Not Meet

Episode Date: November 21, 2022

Stories in this episode: - Out of the Shadows, by Talia (0:50) - Creepy Stalker Frenemy by JP (14:50) - A Beach Holiday Turned Near Death Experience, by Paolo (24:24) - Phone Call Stalker, by TK ...(35:10) - Window Ninja, by Alice (42:31) Extended Patreon Content: - Walk on the Wild Side, by milesprower62 - Lock Your Doors, by Trace - Convenience Store Creeps, by Camas - Creepy News Agency Man, by Enrica All of the stories you've heard this week were narrated and produced with the permission of their respective authors. Let's Not Meet: A True Horror Podcast is not associated with Reddit or any other message boards online. To submit your story to the show, send it to letsnotmeetstories@gmail.com.   Get access to extended, ad-free episodes of Let's Not Meet: A True Horror Podcast with bonus stories every week at a higher bitrate along with a bunch of other great exclusive material and merch at patreon.com/letsnotmeetpodcast. This podcast would not be possible to continue at this rate without the help of the support of the legendary LNM Patrons. Come join the family! Don't forget to check out this week's episode of my other podcast Odd Trails for your true paranormal fix as well as the first episode of my new podcast the Old Time Radiocast all at crypticcountypodcasts.com. To get 15% off your next unique gift, go to UncommonGoods.com/meet. Sign up with Firstleaf today and you’ll get your first 6 bottles for $39.95 plus free shipping at tryfirstleaf.com/MEET. Get started with EveryPlate for just $1.49 per meal on your first box by going to EveryPlate.com and entering code meet149. Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code MEET to save $50 at lomi.com/meet. - Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/433173970399259/ - Twitter - https://twitter.com/letsnotmeetcast - Website - https://letsnotmeetpodcast.com - Patreon - https://patreon.com/letsnotmeetpodcast - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/letsnotmeetcast/ - Twitch - https://twitch.tv/crypticcounty 

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Amplify your career through training and development solutions specifically designed for federal government professionals. From courses to help you attain or retain certification to individualized coaching services, to programs at home, your leadership skills, and business acumen. Management concepts optimizes your professional development. Online in-person, individually, or groups. It's training that's measurably better. Learn more at managementconcepts.com. That's managementconcepts.com. This podcast contains adult language and content.
Starting point is 00:00:33 If you have a story to share, send it to Let's Not Meet Stories at gmail.com. Enjoy the show. My name is Androtate, and this is season nine, episode 16 of Let's Not Meet, a true horror podcast. This story takes place in 2019. It's a long story, but it was one of the most bizarre things I've ever been through. And I felt like it was time to share. I was 28 years old, a single mother who had been divorced for two years.
Starting point is 00:01:37 I met this man that will call Devon on an online dating app. We ended up seeing each other for about seven to eight weeks. What's bizarre about this story is that it has nothing to do with the time that we were seeing each other, but it's about what happened after. During the weeks we were dating. We saw each other about once a week. It was nice, but I didn't feel a strong connection with him. Honestly, it felt like he wasn't that into me either. I decided to tell him that it wasn't going to work out. I told him that he didn't do anything wrong, but I just didn't feel like we were a good match. He seemed a little upset, but nothing
Starting point is 00:02:16 out of the ordinary. He seemed like a normal guy, and the fact that we only saw each other for a short time, I figured all was well. I certainly never expected what was to come in the following weeks and months. Devon had texted me a few times asking if I would give him another chance. I didn't think much of it at first, because I can understand someone wanting to try again. However, I didn't waver, and I told him that I was sorry. I wasn't interested. I didn't hear from Devon after that, so I figured that that was the end of it. After a while, Devon began calling and texting again. I was getting frustrated because I had made
Starting point is 00:02:58 myself very clear, and he wasn't respecting my wishes. This time when he was reaching out to me there was a change in his demeanor. He was being very disrespectful. He said, I bet you're out on a date right now. Already moving on so quickly, I hope he enjoys you and I'm sure you'll probably be sleeping with him. I know that's the kind of woman you are. I was a bit shocked since he had never talked like that. Of course, I blocked him. The next part happened over several weeks on and off. I started getting calls from unknown
Starting point is 00:03:33 numbers at all hours. Devon also made fake Facebook profiles so that he could send messages to me. After that didn't work out for him, he switched strategies. He started acting like he hasn't been harassing me and said, Hey, I'm coming to your area tomorrow. I made dinner reservations for us. I'll be there at 5 p.m. I can't wait to see you." He lived 45 minutes away and I told him not to even bother driving all that way. I would not be meeting up with him. I told him I didn't know why he thought that that was appropriate. A few hours later, I got a slew of hateful messages from Devon about how inconsiderate
Starting point is 00:04:10 and horrible I was for not meeting with him. He even tried to guilt me by telling me that he got a speeding ticket on the way to the area. He got mad and said that it was all for nothing. All I could do was keep blocking him through whichever method he was trying to use to get in contact with me. Then I received a four-page letter in the mail from him. It was a story that he wrote. His story was about how we met, and it described our time together. He even said he had fallen in love with me. It was so strange, especially since, like I said before, he didn't even seem that interested in me. It was so strange, especially since, like I said before, he didn't even seem
Starting point is 00:04:46 that interested in me. After that, I didn't hear anything for a few weeks, so I hoped that it was done. But the scary part, this was only the beginning. One day I was in bed, when I got a random message that said, I'm here, come to the door. My heart sank. I went to the door and stepped out onto the deck, since my neighbors are always outside. I didn't feel comfortable letting Devon into my house. He began going on about the same things, wanting another chance, letting me know that he loves me, etc. I once again told him no.
Starting point is 00:05:23 I told him that he needed to leave me alone. Whenever I told him no, he would blankly stare at me. I began to feel afraid that he was going to snap. His eyes just looked wrong. He asked if he could at least just stay the night because it was his birthday the next day. He asked for birthday sex. but said the least I could do was go on a date with him. I was appalled, then he asked to lay in bed with me, promising that he wouldn't even touch me. Now I was declining everything, but he just continued, I'll just lay on your couch, I just want to stay the night. This went on for two hours, but I was continuously telling him no, and that he needs to leave. I'm not sure what made him snap out of it, but he suddenly walked away, got in his car,
Starting point is 00:06:16 and left. I felt so uneasy I was worried that he was going to try and break into my house later that night or something. He seemed so angry and hateful. He wasn't taking no foreign answer. That night, I remember stacking wooden TV trays against the door just in case he came in so that they would fall and make a loud noise and wake me up. Thankfully, my kids were with their dad that night. This was the first time I was afraid to sleep alone in my house. A couple more weeks went by, and I hadn't heard a word from Devon. One night, I was returning home at around 10.30 at night after being out of town for 12 hours. I pulled into my driveway
Starting point is 00:06:58 and saw this humongous branch from my tree. It had fallen into my yard. I opened my car door and got my phone out to take a picture of the branch. As I was doing this, I saw the shadow of a man coming around the corner of my car. I heard somebody say, hey you! Once I recovered from the small heart attack, I realized that it was Devon again. Where did he come from? I didn't see his car anywhere. He just walked out of the shadows acting all happy-go-lucky. He asked again why I wouldn't just give him a chance. I was terrified and had my keys in between my knuckles in case he was planning
Starting point is 00:07:37 to hurt me. He had driven 45 minutes to my house and parked almost a block away, just to watch and wait for me. I have no idea how long he staked outside of my house. I told him that he was scaring me and asked him to leave me alone. He attempted to follow me up onto my deck and I told him not to come any closer. Then he said the weirdest thing ever. He pointed at me and said, One day you're going to see me and think,
Starting point is 00:08:08 That should have been my husband. And he ran off. I went inside and quickly locked all of the doors and windows. I was afraid I was going to wake up to him, pouring gasoline all over me so that he could set me on fire. I unlocked his number so that I could send him one final text. I told him if he ever contacted me in any way, shape, or form again, I would contact the police.
Starting point is 00:08:33 He didn't respond. The next part of the story is even more bizarre. I happened to update my foid card because it didn't have my new address on it. That's my fire arm identification card. I didn't want to have a gun anymore, but after what had been happening, I decided I needed one for protection. I was told that my updated Floyd card would be delivered the same day that Devon walked out of the shadows. I checked my mailbox after he left, but there was no card among the other mail. I thought to myself about how Devon probably went through my male, since he was creeping
Starting point is 00:09:09 around, he probably stole it. A week later I got a notification from a dating app, the one that I met Devon on. It said that I had a message, it was from him. I still hadn't received my new foid card when he messaged me. Now on a whim, I decided to ask him about it. This man admitted that he did have my card. He said he saw an envelope on the ground outside of my house before he got there. He said that he put it in his back pocket and forgot about it before he left.
Starting point is 00:09:40 I knew this was a lie, but I was curious if he really had it. He said that he would happily give me the card if we would go on a date, ending with at least a hug or a kiss. What the fuck? I wanted proof he had it, so I could take it to the police since stealing someone's mail, let alone their foyd card is a federal offense. He told me the last few digits of the ID number on the card and the expiration date so I knew that it was true.
Starting point is 00:10:11 The next day I went to the police and the courthouse for an emergency order of protection. I was granted one. I told the judge about the foid card situation. He stated that he would require Devon to bring the card to the court hearing or send it to me. Devon ended up mailing it to me. He never got in trouble for that, and that still annoys me. Two weeks later, there was a hearing for the actual order of protection since the emergency order was only temporary. Devon showed up at the hearing, wearing a suit and holding a briefcase like it was some crime drama TV series. It was so odd.
Starting point is 00:10:48 I told the story and gave all of the evidence that I had of being harassed and stalked by this man. All Devin could do was tell the judge that he never hit me or hurt me. He kept saying he should not have this order against him. He was very arrogant. The judge didn't appreciate Devin's extreme narcissism when Devin tried to talk to the judge like a child. Devin thought that he was smarter than everyone. He thought he could charm his way out of this. It was almost comical because no one was spying it. The judge granted the order protection which lasted for two years.
Starting point is 00:11:27 Devin immediately appealed, and I was able to see the court documents he submitted to the judge, saying that this would ruin his career and reputation as an insurance agent. Devin went on about how he's a great man, and how much he respects women. He even said he wanted to join the military to serve this amazing country, but he couldn't do that with this order on his record. This man never expressed any interest in the military before.
Starting point is 00:11:54 He has a master's in finance and wanted to run his own CPA firm. He was doing everything possible to gain sympathy. He requested they at least remove the searchable case information from the internet so that potential clients wouldn't be able to see it when they looked him up. He even sent the court instructions on how to have the content removed from Google. All of his appeal attempts were denied. He spent almost $2,000 fighting the case.
Starting point is 00:12:23 He eventually stopped, and I never heard from him again. I got a dog and a gun after this incident, because I won't be caught defenseless. Even now, three years later, when I get home late at night, I look around more than anyone normally would before getting out of their car just in case that asshole is there. His shift from nice guy to crazy guy happened when things ended because that's just how narcissists function, I guess, when they don't get their way, all hell breaks loose. So, Devon, you crazy, narcissistic weirdo. Let's not ever meet again.
Starting point is 00:13:13 Amplify your career through training and development solutions specifically designed for federal government professionals, from courses to help you attain or retain certification to individualize coaching services, to programs at home, your leadership skills, and business acumen. Management concepts optimizes your professional development, online in-person, individually, or groups. It's training that's measurably better. Learn more at managementconcepts.com.
Starting point is 00:13:39 That's managementconcepts.com. This happened to me back in 2002 when I was about 7 years old. I'm 26 now. I've been following your podcast and listening to the stories for quite a while now, hearing so many different stories from so many different people reminded me of the time that I had a let's not meet experience of my own. I thought I should share as well. Let me give you an idea about the setting. I'm from India and I live in a well-known city in the country.
Starting point is 00:14:14 My family had just moved into this new neighborhood, which was pretty big with a number of apartment towers clubbed together, which we call the residential society. Towers Club Together, which we call the Residential Society. I was a fairly introverted person, but I had made a few friends since I moved to this neighborhood. I was friends with the group of all girls ranging from the ages of 5 to 8. Our Residential Society was a private area, so our parents didn't fear us running around alone on the main streets. It was completely okay for us to go play within the society premises without any adult supervision. It all started on a pretty normal day.
Starting point is 00:14:57 I was out with my friends playing hopscotch when I suddenly noticed somebody looking in our direction. Now you might think what's so strange about that? Let me tell you, it was a grown man who looked like he was probably around 27 to 28 years old. He was with a group of men, and he was calling out to me. Many of the flats in the buildings were rented out to college students and bachelors.
Starting point is 00:15:21 So it was common to see men, solo or in groups, in our society. My friend and I were so busy with our games that we hadn't noticed a bunch of guys standing opposite where we were sitting together and chatting. The man calling out to me was not calling out my name, but rather trying to get my attention. I tried to ignore it at first, thinking that I probably misunderstood, and it wasn't me, he was calling out to. Again, I heard him say, Hey you, the curly haired girl! I was the only one in our group who had curly hair, so I looked over at him. He beamed a big, creepy smile at me and waved.
Starting point is 00:16:07 I did not know this guy nor had I ever seen him in our neighborhood, so there was tons of confusion plastered on my face. My friends were now looking back and forth between me and the man with the same confused expression. We completely forgot that we were playing hopscotch. The guy came up to me and said, trying to sound friendly. Hi, it's you, isn't it? How have you been? I haven't seen you in so long. Say, did you get a haircut? It looks so good on you. He also referred to me as baby. Again, this is a grown man. I'm seven years old. Just a kid, a little girl. Being an introvert, I was always anxious about talking to someone new, so naturally I cow word in front of him. I couldn't get a single word or sound to come out of my mouth.
Starting point is 00:17:02 It was as if my throat was suddenly closing up. I thought, if I didn't reply, maybe he would get bored and leave me alone. But he was still looking me over with the same creepy, beaming smile. I managed to muster up all my strength and meekly said, no, and shook my head, not making eye contact. Instead of saying anything else, he turned around and left. My friends asked me what just happened. I explained that I didn't know him and shrugged it off, so we went back to playing. Fast forward a few days, I had forgotten about the entire bizarre incident. Then one afternoon, I was on the swings in the playground waiting for one of my friends to show up.
Starting point is 00:17:50 Then it happened all over again. That same weird guy showed up out of nowhere and greeted me. I thought to myself, Oh my God, what you again? Who are you? Why do you keep trying to talk to me? Are you trying to follow me? He approached do you keep trying to talk to me? Are you trying to follow me?" He approached me, and stood right next to me. I looked around wishing someone was there to help me since he was taking advantage of me being alone. This time, he put his arm around me and whispered
Starting point is 00:18:18 into my ear. Come on, tell me your name. We can be really close friends. Come on, tell me your name. We can be really close friends. Now, I am visibly scared. I replied in a shrill voice. I don't know you, I want to go home. I tried to wiggle myself free, but he was pretty strong compared to me. He squeezed me into him even more. I wanted to scream and push him away.
Starting point is 00:18:44 It felt like I was having one of those nightmares where you want to scream, but no audible noise comes out of your mouth. That's how it felt, but it was real life. Before I could do anything else, he stood me up and began walking me along with him. His entire friendly demeanor had changed. He said, him. His entire friendly demeanor had changed. He said, no, don't try to go anywhere. I'm talking to you. Why didn't you talk to me the last time I saw you? With every word he said, I felt his fingers digging deep into my forearm clutching me closer and closer. Come with me to my house. I want to show you something." He said.
Starting point is 00:19:25 My parents had always warned me ever since I was little about stranger danger. They told me never to go anywhere with an unknown person, no matter what he says, or she says to me. Alarm bells were ringing in my head, and they rang louder with each and every second. A journal in Pumped Through Me as I felt this urge of fighter flight. The creepy guy was still blabbering, but I wasn't paying any attention. I knew it was now or never. We had gotten too far from the playground when I gathered every bit of strength and courage inside me, and I pushed him away with full force. I screamed big and loud, no, and I ran. I just kept running. I heard him shouting after me, but I didn't
Starting point is 00:20:14 care. I didn't look back. I didn't understand what he was yelling at me, either. I ran all the way to my building and only stopped when I reached my flat. I collapsed on the ground and heaved, heavily, trying to catch my breath. I felt like I had made a narrow escape because who knows what sick tormented kind of things the man was thinking in his head about me. I was so fucking scared. I didn't utter a single word to my parents or my older brother about this incident. I never saw this weird guy or his friends in my neighborhood after that. I'm so thankful that my mom and dad always taught me to be aware of the horrors of strangers
Starting point is 00:20:57 even at a young age. I didn't report him to the police or anyone else, but I hope he never tries this stunt with any other girl. So do the creepy man who acted as if he knew me and wanted me to go to his house with him? I don't know what your intentions were with me, and I never want to know. Let's not eat again. Las comunidades negras e ispanas se vende especcionalmente afectadas por la enfermedad de las células falsiformes, una enfermedad devastadora que puede provocar anemia, fatiga, crisis de dolor, insuficiencia en diversos órganos y muerte prematura. Un nuevo estudio de investigación ofrece el potencial para luchar contra la enfermedad de células falsiformas.
Starting point is 00:21:49 Visite Ruby-SECD-STARI.com para obtener más información sobre una opción de tratamiento en investigación para la enfermedad de células falsiformes. El estudio ahora está recrutando personas de 18 a 50 años en Dallas. Visite Ruby-SECsd stary.com. It was the summer of 2017, when my friends from Singapore and Vietnam traveled to spend some time with my boyfriend and I, and paloan, Philippines. Paloan is world famous, known for its white sand beaches and laid back island life. I was vacationing for a few days at the beach with my boyfriend, we'll call him Dino, and five of our friends flew over to join us.
Starting point is 00:22:29 We stayed in a house that was close to the city. The first day was spent island hopping and checking out some of the local restaurants for dinner. On our second night, we decided to check out our local bar around midnight or so. It just happened to be conveniently located in the city center, only about a 10 minute walk from the house where we were staying. It was what you would expect from a bar in a semi-provincial area, nothing great or fancy, but it was filled with tourists and locals alike. It definitely wasn't a place you would go to if there were
Starting point is 00:23:05 actually any other decent options, but it was where everybody else was. The bar was already packed when we got there. Each of us only had one bottle of beer, so none of us felt drunk or anything. Tipsy, maybe. We didn't stay long after surveying the surroundings. After a bit of dancing, we found ourselves lining up for the toilets and then heading toward the exit. I remember the feeling of the cold air on my face and taking it in with a deep breath. A few minutes later, we were all piled outside, while everyone except for Dino. We spent a few more minutes waiting until we went back inside the look
Starting point is 00:23:46 for him. We first searched inside the toilets, but no luck. I remember squeezing myself into the crowd going back and forth to cover as much of the space as possible. Then I stood at the spot where we last saw him. At that time, we were all just a bit confused, so we all went back inside and tried calling his mobile, which just kept on ringing, but wasn't being answered. We didn't have any choice but to walk back to the house, hoping that we would find him there. This seemed to be the most logical conclusion. We figured he probably thought that we went on ahead.
Starting point is 00:24:30 Of course he wasn't there. Otherwise there wouldn't be any story to write about, right? After making some more useless phone calls to Dino, I was getting tired. My friend Darian and I walked through the dimly lit road that led from the house to the bar, quite a few times. Darian and I traced back the path that Dino would have traversed, assuming he went ahead of us. We were looking inside a few late-night eateries along the way, hoping to find him somewhere so that we could finally hit the sack and get some rest. We were all worried. I was frantic, tired and frantic.
Starting point is 00:25:08 While this late-night search was happening, flashes of morbid imagery came to mind. I pictured him lying motionless somewhere in the dark. His fingernails being plucked out one by one blood oozing from his fingers. I was feeling despair, annoyance, and anger whaling up inside of me. I felt weak, dizzy, and helpless all at the same time. I started calling hospitals in the area to check if someone injured had been recently brought in. I think it was around, close to three in the morning, when I finally laid down in bed.
Starting point is 00:25:44 I fell asleep instantly due to stress and exhaustion. After what felt like only a few minutes of shed eye, I heard some frantic pounding on the bedroom door. It's a few minutes before six in the morning. I opened the door and found the house caretaker, wide-eyed, telling me that a young man was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital. He had been picked up by some local officials just a few minutes ago. The caretaker added that said person had been stabbed. I felt so numb.
Starting point is 00:26:17 This was really bad news. It could very well be my boyfriend. I quickly changed my clothes, got my wallet, my phone, and I rushed to the hospital with the caretaker and another friend. We had to drive to another village about 15 minutes from where we were. The hospital was a rundown-delapidated structure, as was common in most parts of rural Philippines. I walked fast, not bothering with niceties, and just made my way to a room crowded with nurses and men in uniforms.
Starting point is 00:26:49 There right in the middle of the room was an operating table with Dino on it. Dino had dirt and scratches all over his face, arms, and legs. He howled at the sight of me and our friend. He was holding gauze to his left shoulder to stop bleeding, as the knife had just been pulled out. He was shaking, and his sobs filled the room. I stood beside him to comfort him, still feeling numb, but I was also in shock. It was all so much, and we all hadn't had nearly enough sleep. Dino stayed at the hospital for a few hours while we waited.
Starting point is 00:27:27 The doctor showed us the X-ray. The knife wound was just a centimeter away from puncturing Dino's right lung. The doctor said that Dino was quite lucky to still be alive. By evening, we were all back at the house. Everyone gathered around Dino. This was his story, parts of which we were able to corroborate, as we viewed some of the CCTV footage from the local police at the station the next day. The moment that he got out of the toilet, he couldn't see me or our friends. So he went to look for us. He didn't see any of us around.
Starting point is 00:28:06 We were all probably still inside of the bar going to the bathroom and waiting for each other. The CCTV footage recorded him waiting outside for a bit, then he went back inside. He came back outside again, hesitated, then eventually crossed the street and started walking in the direction of the house. On the footage, it looked like he was blacking out. That was the last we saw of him on the footage. The next thing Dino could remember was being on a petty cab with someone trying to hold him down and someone else hitting him in the face, hard. The driver was going very fast. He remembered blacking out again.
Starting point is 00:28:47 The next thing, he's sitting on a sofa with someone sitting right across from him. They were smoking crack. He blacks out again. After that, he remembered he was running. He was dark outside, but he was running for his life. He stumbled on an unpaid rocky dirt path and something hit him hard in his right shoulder. He didn't realize at the time that that feeling was a knife stabbing him. He was kicking hard and was able to hit someone. He then got back up and ran fast to where he could see some light. He eventually climbed a tall bamboo fence and then had to crawl under some structure. He heard some noise, whispers, and shuffling feet which soon disappeared. He blocked out again. The next moment he remembered was hearing noises around him.
Starting point is 00:29:38 Townspeople had flocked around him. Apparently, he had landed inside the yard of a local village official. He was found crouching under a chicken coop. The townspeople looked at Dino. They knew that he wasn't local. He reportedly looked very scared. He was crying and mumbling, so they brought him to the nearest hospital, with the knife still stuck inside of him. We spent the following day talking to local police and checking out the vicinity of the village where Dino was found. We were shown some pictures of some people of interest, but my boyfriend couldn't remember any of them. We tried to calm down and make
Starting point is 00:30:17 the best of the next few days. We wanted to at least relax and enjoy the amazing beaches of Paloan, but this was obviously something we couldn't shake off. We had a few good laughs, dinners, and drinks after that, but Dino started having nightmares. I don't want to elaborate on how incapable the local police have been with our case. Let's just say that there's no hope of ever having this case solved. We'll never find out who the abductors were and what they wanted from my boyfriend. So, local police and kidnappers, let's dead, not the car again. Oh, happens all the time with Old Betsy.
Starting point is 00:31:17 Have you checked out Carvana yet? They have thousands of cars for under $20,000. But do those thousands of cars have personality like Old Betsy? Betsy is held together by tape and their reckons living in the engine. Shhh, it's a family car. Uh, there are flames on the hood. Bad custom paint job. No dad, the car's on fire.
Starting point is 00:31:35 How many cars did you say, Carvana had? Visit Carvana.com to shop thousands of cars for under $20,000. We'll drive you happy. At Carvana. This story took place in the mid 80s when I was a college student on the West Coast. To many listeners, it will have a ring of familiarity, sounding like the plot of a suspense film that was popular around that time. But this really did happen to my family I assure you the real experience was equally as terrifying as the movie though.
Starting point is 00:32:08 It was shortly after Christmas, my family had gathered for the holidays at a resort in the mountains for a ski holiday. After Christmas I returned to school on the west coast. My dad flew directly to Europe for meetings, and my mom and sister returned back to the family home in Chicago. When my mom and sister got home, my mom noticed that one of the doors that led to the backyard was slightly a jar. She silently chastised herself for not checking all of the doors before leaving on vacation. She assumed that the wind had blown it open.
Starting point is 00:32:48 My sister went to bed, and my mom went to her room for the night. Now, my mom was in bed reading when at 11 p.m., the phone rang. On the other end of the phone was a horrifyingly familiar man's voice. He said, Welcome home. I hope that you and your daughter had a nice vacation. Now I say horrifyingly familiar, because this was someone who had been stalking my family for months.
Starting point is 00:33:22 He was calling to harass my mom whenever my dad wasn't home. It was very unnerving for her, and she had reported these calls to the police on multiple occasions. That night, my mom replied to the caller, just a moment I'm getting my husband, to which the caller replied, I know that he didn't come home with you. She hung up the phone, within it rang again. This time the call came through a second phone line. She picked up and it was him again. She hung up and called the police, explaining what just happened.
Starting point is 00:34:04 At some point she mentioned the door that led to the backyard had been found open after returning from vacation. The police asked if the house had two phone lines, which it did. The police asked my mom if it's possible. He might be inside the house somewhere, calling from one line to the other. It was entirely possible since both of our phone numbers were unlisted in the directory. I mother raced to my sister's room, scooped her up, and locked them in the bedroom together. Within minutes the police were there, with a K-9 unit conducting a thorough search of
Starting point is 00:34:44 the house. Luckily, the man was not found in the house that night. While the police were in the house, the caller called once again. The detective took the phone from my mom, identifying himself as being from the CPD. The caller quickly hung up. The detective explained to my mother that the fact that the caller had called again was good news, it confirmed that the caller wasn't actually inside the house. It was likely that the caller wasn't even in the area, since at that point, the area was surrounded
Starting point is 00:35:22 with patrol cars and lights. They were flashing everywhere. That gave my mom and sister a bit of comfort. The police did ascertain in the course of their investigation that the individual had, in fact, been inside the house while my family was away on vacation. The calls continued. Then some months later, the caller was ultimately caught. Now I don't recall the details of how he was caught, but I remember his back story. He worked for the company which my dad was the CEO of. It was a large company, and my dad had never even heard of this guy. The guy had been fired from the company at some point, and in his mind, it was my dad's fault.
Starting point is 00:36:13 Security was beefed up considerably after that experience, given my dad's extensive travel schedule. The ordeal came to a conclusion with no particularly negative outcomes, other than the trauma experienced by my mom and sister. Now, when we tell the story, it seems almost incredible, but things like this really do happen, and it really is interesting to reflect back on. To the mystery caller who traumatized my family for all those months, let's not meet. Fresh produce is the best produce. That's why, at Croger, we invest in local farmers to bring you the freshest seasonal picks.
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Starting point is 00:37:28 Croaker, fresh, for everyone! I had just gotten out of a long-term relationship. I was doing the single-person thing in running around with friends. My friends and I made plans to go to the theater one night to see a disco version of mid-summer night's dream because disco shakes pure It was a nice evening and I was hungry so I decided to eat close to the theater before meeting up with my friends I parked in a well-lit parking lot even though it was the middle of the afternoon I even though it was the middle of the afternoon. I knew it could be really late by the time that we
Starting point is 00:38:05 would be leaving to go home since we were also planning on going to see the fireworks nearby on the river that night. As I walked to the restaurant, a somewhat scraggly looking guy gave me the Joey Tribionny how you doing. I nodded and smiled, but did not slow down. I walked past him, into the restaurant, and sat at the bar. I'm not much for taking up a table when I'm by myself, particularly when I plan on being leisurely with my meal. I ordered my food and broke out my book. There were several people at the bar, and one was a lady that was sitting about three or four stools away from me. I read just heard her talking to someone at some point during my meal, and realized it was the guy from outside. He was sitting
Starting point is 00:38:59 on a bar stool between us, talking very excitedly to her. I noticed she left, but again I was reading, eating, and enjoying my glass of wine. It was at that point that I noticed the man began to talk loudly to the bartender, who was responding to him with short dismissive answers, and going on about his job. I wasn't really listening, but the conversation got my attention when the scraggly man said, oh yeah, well, I kill my own rabbits, I use a sling shot, and I've gotten pretty good at it. What in the world? I live in a southern state, but I haven't picked up on killing rabbits as a normal event.
Starting point is 00:39:47 I made the mistake of looking up when he said this, and that's when he started talking to me. He asked the question that all public book readers hate to hear. So, what are you reading? Look, when I'm reading, it means don't talk to me. I don't even remember what I was reading, but I answered and tried to go back to my book. He continued, what are you doing tonight? I told him that I was going to disco Shakespeare with my friends. He asked if we had an extra ticket for him and I said no, no extras. He said that he'd see about buying one himself. He said that he liked Shakespeare a lot, but his favorite book was
Starting point is 00:40:32 Catcher and the Rye. Of course it is Mark David Chapman. Of course it is. He quoted some hamlet to me and then said how he felt close to Holden Caulfield, which, as everyone knows, is a huge red flag. Then he asked if I liked fishing. I said that I didn't. He said, I think you would if you tried it. We should go fishing right now. You have time before the play.
Starting point is 00:41:05 He started telling me about how he had property with a huge lake that had a lot of fish. A whole conversation had been walking that line between weird and normal. He said that in his pond there was a huge carp that was eating all his other fish, and he had been trying to get it out. He couldn't catch it, but he had heard that using a used tampon as bait would catch it for sure. I can't even imagine what my face must have looked like right then. I said, I don't know anything about how that would work, or who would offer something like that. He said, I don't know anything about how that would work, or who would offer something like that." He said, Oh, well, I have another plan with a net and some grappling hooks. I can wait until he
Starting point is 00:41:53 comes by. I'm going to throw the net down and stab him with the hooks. He kept pushing to have me go fishing with him. He said, I'm sure you have time to go fishing with me. I'll bring you right back after." I told him that I was sure I didn't have time. I was in dress for fishing, and I didn't like fishing or killing things. He said, Oh, you don't know what you're missing. There's a great deal of satisfaction in killing your own food. I kill rabbits, squirrels, and you know, people say you should stick to the seasons and stuff,
Starting point is 00:42:34 but there's no better feeling than eating a fawn. I know it's illegal, but the baby animals taste better. At this point, I started furiously texting my friends, but trying to act calm because this guy is not right. He kept veering off into creepiness that I wanted no part of. He said, I know, since you can't go fishing, let's go watch the fireworks. I assured him that I was doing that with my friends. He said, I know a really secluded spot down by the river. Nobody ever goes there.
Starting point is 00:43:12 I honestly don't remember a lot of what he was saying after that because I was texting my friends and telling them where I was so that someone could come and get me. This whole situation had already gone too far for me." He said, How about you come swimming at my pool tomorrow? I said that I definitely had plans. He replied, just give me your number so I can call to see if your plans have fallen through. I hesitated because I had seen a refusal to this type of thing go very bad before.
Starting point is 00:43:47 I gave him my office number, which, incidentally, was the fugitive division for the local police department. I hadn't been in my division long, and I didn't know any officers or anybody in the department well enough to call for help. I sent a 911 text to a guy friend of mine and waited for the Calvary. At this point, I was hoping one of them would walk in, and they would see me in distress. The scragally guy poked my number into his phone and then glared at me. He had called my number to see if it was a real number. He started yelling at me. Your phone isn't ringing. This isn't your number.
Starting point is 00:44:33 I'm now glancing at the bartender, who gave me a sympathetic look, but didn't take a stand. I assured him that it wasn't the phone I had with me, but it was my number. He then slid his business card over to me, which said, the window ninja on it. He said, let's go walking. By this time I was not leaving that bar stall. I was clinging to it like a life raft. He was a lot bigger than me, and so far nobody in the bar had shown any signs that they would jump in if he escalated things too much. I said, no, my friends are coming to pick me up. They're on their way. You won't go walking with me, you won't give me your right phone number.
Starting point is 00:45:25 What should I do now, huh? He then grabbed the back of my head and licked me from my neck up to my face and walked out. I was so stunned that I couldn't even react. I was shaking all over. And now I had been licked by a stranger who implied wanting to use my used tampons as bait for a fish that he wanted to kill. My friends finally came and one of them found me and escorted me to their car. Later on I talked to a coworker who yelled, you call us next time. And I knew he meant it.
Starting point is 00:46:10 I took Window Ninja's business card to work with me the following Monday. My co-workers and I looked him up in the public databases. Turns out, he was a registered sex offender. Not that it was a huge surprise. Just typing all of this out made me lightheaded, but I know that I dodged a huge bullet. So to the window ninja, let's not ever meet again. Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Let's Not Meet, a true horror podcast. If you're a patron, don't forget to stick around after the music for your extended, add free version of this week's episode. If you'd like to get access to the Patreon, for hours and hours of bonus content, head over to patreon.com forward slash let's not meet podcast to sign up today and support the show. This week you will have heard.
Starting point is 00:47:20 Out of the shadows by Talia, creepy stalk Frinemy by JP, a beach holiday turned near-death experience by Palo, phone call Stalker by TK, and finally, Window Ninja by Alice. All of the stories you've heard this week were narrated and produced with the permission of their respective authors. Let's not meet. A true horror podcast is not associated with Reddit or any other message boards online. As always, if you have a story to share, send it to Let's Not Meet Stories at gmail.com. And don't forget to check out the new episodes of my other podcasts, Odd Trails, a true paranormal podcast, and the old-time radio cast at crypticcountypodcasts.com
Starting point is 00:48:02 or wherever you get your podcasts. I'll see you all next week for a brand new episode. Stay safe. Don't let the summer heat bake in road grime any longer, head to your nearby Zips Car Wash to clean up and cool off. And listen to this, now when you buy your next car wash online at zipscarwash.com, you pay even less. That's right, we save you money off our amazing washes plus you also get to skip the line and use our Express Lane service. When you're ready to shine, skip the line and save time and money with your online wash
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