18–23 May: Workplace Reflections, Strange Encounters, and Life in Scotland

Image of sunset

I have been trying to express my thoughts for days now, but for some reason, I just could not do it. Last week felt heavy in different ways. Work was stressful, life itself felt busy, and mentally I was all over the place at times, but somehow, I handled it well enough.

Looking back now, the week almost feels like one long film filled with strange encounters, small acts of kindness, uncomfortable moments, and reflections about people.

So here we go.

The Little Girl at the Library

After work most days last week, I found myself at the library trying to finish different things. It became my quiet escape after long days.

One of the nicest parts of those visits was seeing a father walking around with his wee daughter. Due to my frequent visits to the library that week, I kept encountering them, and each time she saw me, she would say hello.

Honestly, that became the highlight of my time there.

There is something so pure about children. No pretending. No hidden intentions. Just a simple hello that somehow brightens your day more than adult conversations sometimes do.

The Man Who Made Me Nervous

One evening at the library, I noticed a man carrying several heavy bags. I looked up for a moment out of concern, then returned to what I was doing.

A while later, he sat not too far from me and started speaking loudly. At first, I assumed he was on the phone, so I ignored it. But after some time, I realized he was actually talking to himself.

Then he suddenly looked directly at me and asked me a question.

I answered politely and said I wasn't very knowledgeable about the topic. At the same time, I was on a call with my sister, and she immediately became concerned.

Things became even stranger when the man moved from his seat and sat directly behind me. My sister told me straight away to move because the situation did not feel safe.

And honestly, my mind immediately imagined the worst possible scenarios.

So I packed my things and moved to another area of the library.

But guess what?

He moved too.

Now at this point, there were barely any people in that section of the library, and I started thinking to myself, “Right, if this man stays here another few minutes, I’m leaving altogether.”

Thankfully, after a short while, he eventually left.

My sister stayed worried the entire time and even told me to ensure he was not following me home afterwards.

Thankfully, I got home safely.

Still, situations like that remind you how alert women constantly have to be in public spaces.

The Forensics Conversation

Now this next library encounter was not frightening exactly, but it was definitely odd.

A young man walked past me one day looking as though he wanted to say something but could not gather the courage. On his way out, he walked back and asked when the library closed.

I checked for him, told him the time, and he left.

The next day, I saw him again.

This time, he walked directly up to me, introduced himself, and asked if I studied at the university nearby. I told him no, that I was simply using the library to finish some work.

He explained that he had completed his master’s degree and was now doing a certification course, although honestly, I could not fully understand what the certification actually was because he struggled to explain it.

He seemed nervous. Like someone whose mind was full of thoughts but who could not quite arrange them properly into words.

I could tell he wanted to talk, so I invited him to sit down.

Then came the intriguing part.

After asking about my profession, he suddenly asked, “Do you know about forensics?”

I said yes.

Then he asked about the type of forensics where artists draw what missing people or criminals might look like years later.

That was when I explained forensic age progression to him.

Now, here is where things became slightly uncomfortable for me.

Earlier in the conversation, he had already shown me a drawing of a house he claimed to have made himself, although it honestly looked AI-generated to me. Then he began asking more questions about forensic drawings despite seeming to know very little about how forensic work actually operates.

Then he asked for my name again. But out of nowhere, he said, 'You told me it was [he mentioned the name],' and used a shortened version of my first name—which I never even told him! It completely caught me off guard. I corrected him right away, told him that wasn't my name, and gave him the middle name I actually go by.

At that point, I genuinely could not tell whether he was simply socially awkward and curious or whether something felt off.

And as women, sometimes you learn to trust that feeling when something does not sit right.

Eventually, I politely ended the conversation and left. It reminded me of a real-life story that happened in Glasgow, titled "Should I Marry a Murderer?" 

The Stranger in the Rain

One morning on my way to work, the Scottish rain decided to show absolutely no mercy.

The wind was blowing sideways, my clothes were already getting soaked, and just as I was walking towards the bus stop, my bus drove away.

Honestly, I could have cried.

As I stood there getting battered by the rain, a car suddenly stopped beside me.

A man rolled down the window and said he was heading towards the city center and could drop me off if I did not mind.

Now normally, people will say never get into a stranger’s car, but I looked around at the miserable weather and thought, “Well… maybe humanity still exists after all.”

So I got in.

He was polite. We exchanged greetings, and he asked about my work and where it would be best to drop me off. During the drive, he explained that he owned a boutique for travel items and said I was welcome to visit sometime.

I remember thinking, “Well, that’s one way to advertise your business.”

He also mentioned that his wife and family lived in another city in the UK.

Upon our arrival, he graciously offered me his umbrella, as the rain continued to pour heavily. I thanked him and declined.

He asked for my number.

At the time, I thought perhaps he was simply being friendly.

He started sending WhatsApp videos of his products. Because I am careful with security, I deleted the videos without opening them.

Then came the calls.

And more calls.

And offers.

Free travel items.
Shopping invitations.
Offers to buy me things

At one point, while speaking to my sister about the situation, she sighed and said, “It’s such a pity that his family lives in another city while this is what he chooses to do.”

While part of me appreciated the kindness of helping me in the rain, another part of me realized that the kindness likely came with intentions attached.

I was out shopping when he called yesterday, and I told him I was busy picking up groceries. He inquired why I did not simply request that he manage it, offering to collect everything for me after he finished work, and he also started begging me to please pick up his calls each time he calls. 

That is when I decided I would no longer answer his calls. I find myself contemplating whether his wife would ever become aware of this aspect of his character, as he is eager to provide financial assistance, gifts, and shopping sprees to a woman he scarcely knows. He was really trying so hard to impress me and his behavior is wrong. Boy, bye. Go face your family.

A Conversation About Body Image

At work, a lady opened up to me emotionally about how she felt that others were indirectly discriminating against her because of her body size.

As she spoke, I could immediately tell that this pain had not begun recently. It came from years of experience, dating all the way back to school.

Bullying.
Comments.
Judgment.
Cruel words.

Things people often dismiss casually but which stay with them for years.

At one point she looked at me and said, “You’re beautiful. You probably wouldn’t understand.”

But in that moment, all I could think about was how powerful words can be.

Children are bullied for years while adults ignore it.
Some grow up carrying those wounds quietly into adulthood.
Sometimes, all a person truly needs to navigate their day is a little bit of genuine kindness.

That conversation reminded me why I compliment people whenever I genuinely mean it.

Recently at work, I passed a woman on the stairs whose outfit looked absolutely lovely, so I told her exactly that.

The smile on her face lit up instantly.

And honestly, that cost me nothing.

People are carrying battles we know absolutely nothing about.

So please, be kind.

Politics, Intelligence, and Disappointment

Lastly, election season brought another unexpected interaction.

I had met one of the candidates previously after recognizing his face on a walk. We eventually exchanged numbers and occasionally spoke about politics, society, and community issues.

I genuinely enjoyed learning more about UK politics from someone directly involved in it.

Eventually, he suggested meeting.

We went for a drive and spent most of the time discussing politics and society, which I honestly found interesting. He is clearly intelligent and well-spoken.

But something about his behavior slowly started putting me off.

The constant attempts to appear overly smooth.
The gestures.
The energy.

And then he suggested another drive the following weekend, this time mentioning Manchester and saying everything would be paid for.

I declined.

Because once again, I found myself thinking about self-control, intentions, and how disappointing it is when intelligent people still behave in ways that make you question their character.

Ending the Week Peacefully

On Saturday morning, I visited our pastor, and honestly, that conversation felt refreshing after such a strange week.

What I appreciate about him is that he speaks about life with wisdom and practicality, not just religion alone. He understands people and human nature deeply.

After everything last week, that conversation grounded me a bit.

And so, that was my week.

A week filled with strange encounters, kindness, discomfort, reflection, human behavior, and reminders about intuition.

Now I’m simply hoping for a quieter, softer, and more peaceful week ahead.

How is Sunday treating you?