I was behind the wheel of my husband's car, stopped in the left turn lane of a busy intersection in downtown Fairfax. A glance in the rearview mirror showed the driver of a white pickup truck behind me now walking toward my car, her gauzy drawstring blouse billowing in the breeze.

Was something wrong? Was a rear light out, or something stuck to the bumper? Maybe the trunk was open and I had failed to notice somehow. Concerned, I rolled down the window and looked questioningly at her.

She leaned over, graying brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail that flopped over her shoulder. “I wanted to talk to you,” she said with a smile pointing toward the rear of the car. “I noticed you went to Arizona. So did I. I thought we could connect.”

Huh? I recall the license plate ring I bought for my husband a few years ago that advertises his alumni status. Yes, we did go to Arizona, but she wanted to talk about it now? In the middle of traffic?

Maybe she was on something. Or not on something she should be on. Either way…

“I don't think so,” my husband says from the passenger seat.

We share a confused look. I glance at the light, wondering when the green arrow will come, my hand poised on the window button.

The woman smiles again. “I wanted to connect with someone from U of A. Maybe I could follow you and we could talk.”

Completely flabbergasted and unsure what to say, I blurt, “We're not going home.” I lied.

“Yeah,” she says. “I could just follow you to wherever you're going.”

I look at my husband again, wondering what I've missed. It's one thing to stop and chat briefly with someone wearing a t-shirt or ball cap from your alma mater if you're at the gym, or maybe a fast food place. But to get out of your car in busy traffic and try to “connect” with someone seems insane to me.

And more than a little creepy.

I glance at the traffic light again. The arrow is green. Yes! I point to it. “We have to go.”

“But–” The rising window shuts out her sputtering as I drive away from her frown.

—-

The above squirrel is based on an event that happened to me and my husband earlier today. I'm still shaking my head in confusion. Have you ever had an odd encounter?

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