So while at work I went outside to my car to grab a can of pop because I was dead tired and needed a little jolt of caffeine. After I closed the door, this car comes driving up real slow (on the "far" side of the road, which isn't saying much for distance) and starts talking to me as if he knows me.
He goes, "Hey buddy, what's happening." Now at this point I'm getting a little weirded out, because of the slow driving and how he's talking as if I know him. Which I don't. In addition, he was ever so slightly cross-eyed. Now I know I shouldn't judge people by their appearance, but right there in the city (well, it's technically not yet the city where I work), it was definitely creepy.
So there I was, standing next to my car, wondering if I should run when he continues to talk.
Him: "I was just up at the Citgo pumping gas"
Me: "Okay" (There is a cheap Citgo staion nearby that's quite busy and sells a lot of food for lunches, etc)
Him: "There was this jerk next to me pumping gas with a lit cigarette in his hand."
Me: "Wow" (Almost surprised. I'm was beginning to calm down a bit, thinking he was just some noble citizen trying to tell me about a near-disaster).
Him: "And he manages to catch his sleeve on fire and he starts flailing his arm around."
Me: Silghtly more wide-eyed.
Him: "Yeah, there police were there and they start running over and I'm thinking they're going to help him, but no. They arrest him for waving a fire arm."
At this point I ever so slightly start to turn back towards the staircase towards the door to my building. He drives off slowly.
I have never in my life had a complete stranger stop in his car just to tell me a joke. And it was the sort of joke I might have laughed at too if it weren't being told in a very creepy situation. I mean, I was waiting for the gun to appear the whole time thinking, "Oh my God! I don't actually have any money on me" The rest was spent trying to decide whether my survival chances would be better if I tried to jump behind (or rather, in front of) my car, or leap the wall down into the stairwell.
Folks, Pittsburgh just got stranger.




