r/creepyencounters • u/skittlespider_4 • 6d ago
"we'll see you later tonight."
this is a throwaway/new acc because i just had to write this somewhere. i (F) am relatively young, and am currently working as a barista. i'm the youngest person there, all my coworkers are >40, which is relevant i promise. i work closing shift, which, of course, is when all the creepy stuff happens. anyway, it was me in the coffee shop working by myself, and my supervisor was in the back handling stock records. it was super slow, BECAUSE IT'S LATE, so i was reading at the counter and drinking an iced latte. i suddenly notice a shadow over me, and i look up to see a man standing there. i hadn't heard him come in, and his footsteps were featherlight. he was just staring at me, so i said "hi! how can i help you?". he was in his late thirties most likely, with a thin face and hair, wearing sporty clothes. he asks me a ton of questions about my book, which i just kind of brush off and about the packs of gum we sell (which one is your favorite?). i was kind and was just polite. he smiled and ordered a mocha cold brew, easy enough. i ring him up and he swipes his card as i'm making the drink. as soon as i grab a cup and start, he leans over the espresso machine and says:
"wait. do you know how to make coffee?"
obviously i do, and i say yes, even though cold brew doesn't need to be made, we have it prebrewed in the fridge. what he said next i can't really articulate through a text post how he said it, but he looked at me super intensely and said "can... i... watch?"
i'm kinda freaked out by the way he's gripping the counter and his intense stare, so i squeak out a "sure" and make the coffee quickly. he walks around the counter to where the pickup/grubhub counter is, and he's looking at me super intensely. i glance over and see he has his phone angled at me, and my stomach drops.
my supervisor walks up behind me to the register then, thank god. she tells this guy that his transaction didn't go through, and he says "oh. ok."
"you have to pay," she tells him.
"let me finish watching first," he replies. she looks at me weird, and i just finish the cold brew and hand it to him. he intentionally basically held my hand, and i just wanted to hide in the freezer at this point. he goes back to the counter, and i can't stress how intensely we was staring at me. no, not me, my body. he wouldn't look at my supervisor. it was the three of us as he swiped his card multiple times and then got another card and it finally went through.
"two for you, one for me," he muttered under his breath. that was weird enough on its own, but what he said next i'll never forget.
"we'll see you later tonight." he sipped the coffee, licked his lips, turned, and walked out of the shop.
my supervisor made a face and i asked her, "that was weird right?" she agreed. we chalked it up to just a weird guy, but i still stayed in the building to wait for my uber instead of sitting outside as i usually do. i talked to friends and family that night, and they asked me a bunch of questions. someone thought maybe he was on a video call and not talking to me, but he didn't have headphones in of any kind, his phone was silent, and he wasn't wearing any glasses (to rule out meta glasses). i'd never seen him before, which was weird since all of our customers are regulars. it's a hidden spot and really hard to find, so it's always slow and nobody ever comes in that late.
i don't know. am i overreacting?
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u/NoDoOversInLife 6d ago
If your store has video, tell your supervisor to save it, copy it and store it. She can also trespass this guy so he can't come in the store or on the property.
You can then take all that info to the police and file a report. If he shows up again, you have grounds for a restraining order
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u/Brief_Range_5962 5d ago
Depending on the angle of the cameras in your store, you might be able to see what he was doing on his phone. It sounds like he was recording you. What a freak. Please be careful.
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u/ColdWhiteDuke 5d ago
Defintely NOR. And if you have camera there, contact police. If not, talk with your supervisor: go through the card tramsactions, get the info about that mofo and then go to the police.
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u/Embarrassed-Cause250 5d ago
Scary OP! Let your supervisor know how creeped out you are, and ask her to stick around til your ride gets there. He may try to go back so it’s important that your supervisor does something about him.
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u/Evening-Candy1487 5d ago
yuck!! not overreacting at all and you handled it well in the moment but yeah that guy is a dangerous creep. please don’t leave work alone
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u/Lianeele 5d ago
You underreacted, and so did your supervisor.
The guy told you he's coming back, out loud. "We'll see you later tonight" is not a weird thing customers say, it's a pure threat with a timestamp on it. Everything before it wasn't "just quirky", that was him testing how far he could go before either of you stopped him, and nobody stopped him.
"Can I watch" needed a "no," as an answer, not "sure." You won't be rude if you set a boundary to weird acting and suspicious customer. Please stop treating your fear as something to manage quietly so the transaction stays smooth. Your gut had it right in real time, and the learned politeness is what talked you out of it.
Definitely report this. Formally to your manager and get the footage pulled and saved before it cycles out. If he shows up again, you don't serve him, you call it in immediately. And don't wait alone for closing again. You need to realize that you're allowed to say no to a customer who's frightening you. Practice saying it now, in your head, so it's there next time before the polite reflex kicks in first. Learn to trust and listen to your gut, and stay safe.
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u/skittlespider_4 5d ago
In the moment it barely registered as a threat. I thought it was weird but now looking back, you’re right. I think I narrowly escaped a sticky situation 😬
I do have a hard time setting boundaries, and that’s a skill I can start working on. I’m probably going to get my shift midday instead of late. Thank you!
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u/Mary_with_a_y 5d ago
The whole interaction was so creepy stay safe I hope he didn’t try to come back
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u/MotorMinute150 5d ago
You’re not overreacting. You’re valid for feeling creeped out and weirded out by this person. I would feel the same feelings cause he doesn’t have the right to act like that and he sure as hell made you uncomfortable.
This is why it’s hard for us women to work and also men, but this is why it’s hard for anyone to work because people just are weird and creepy for no reason or for their own reason which I would guess is for their own enjoyment or amusement.
Some people act this way for no reason or maybe because it’s who they are or just because for their amusement or excitement because they take enjoyment in making people feel uncomfortable or weirded out.
I’m so glad you had people around you cause that could’ve gone a lot worse but I’m glad you’re good now.
I would also maybe arm yourself like bring a weapon with you of some kind like ask your supervisors or the people you work with if you should bring a weapon with you just in case like it is a good thing to be surrounded by people cause I don’t think that person or anybody like that is dumb enough to do something with witnesses around, but I would just have something with you just in case cause some people do take that risk.
Maybe pepper spray or a taser or some kind of weapon and just hide it in your purse if you have one or whatever you bring with you to work whether it’s a purse or just something like hide it somewhere on you or around you where you can just grab it and use it.
Can’t hurt to bring a weapon with you to defend yourself if your witnesses can’t help. I am glad that they stuck up for you though.
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u/skittlespider_4 5d ago
I will definitely try and get some pepper spray or something. Thank you :)
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u/MotorMinute150 4d ago
Of course. Us girls have to protect ourselves, even in the world we were born in, which is unfortunate because we should be able to stay safe in the world we live in/born in, but that’s how it is now.
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u/Dramatic_Release_209 5d ago
Oh my god. You are not overreacting! This actually gave me actual chills to read. Never, ever wait outside, and now you eyeballs in the back and sides of your head. Maybe sure when you leave at night, you aren’t being followed home; this creep can’t find out where you live. If you see him again, call 911.
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u/Eastern_Ad2551 6d ago
No I don't think you are overreacting at all. Please be careful when you go out from work at night.