Old man's weirdo behaviour freaking me out

junipergreen

This is a bizarre post but I really would like other people's opinions on my weirdo neighbour's bizarre behaviour...

So there's an old man who lives next door to my apartment building. Never even noticed him until this freaky **** started a few weeks ago - he came out his gate and walked past us with a newspaper held up to hide his face from off. Several times me and my flatmate have seen him walk past our window with the newspaper held up too. Now if it was a once off I wouldn't think anything of, or alternatively if he did it all the time I wouldn't take it personally - but as of today we're 100% sure this is just for us. He walked past as we were outside smoking and as soon as he passed us he took the newspaper down. He walked past his gate and kept going so I peeped around the corner to see what he was up to - only to see him turn around, realise that I was looking at him and promptly throw the newspaper back up in front of his face. WTF?

Any suggestions as to what on earth is going through this man's head? Having seen his face today I know that I don't recognise him at all, so it's definitely not someone I've ever had a run in with. We're totally freaked out by this and not really sure what's going on - any help?!

chin_grin

Facebook, he's doing it wrong.

MagicMarker

I just don't want to look at your fat face!

LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!

orourkeda

Invite him in for a gang bang

cyrusdvirus

one of you or your flatmates is actually his biological child and he doesn't want a family reunion.

Guill

Get yourself a newspaper.
Measure the distance beetween your eyes.
Cut two holes in your newspaper the exact same distance apart as your eyes. Look through holes.

Now you can stand and look at him all day, he wont feel the need to use his paper as you will already have one up.

super_furry

He's your real father, just doesn't want to be stung for years of child support.

superfish

Your smoking too much **** and have too much time on your hands ! and he like most old men likes to read the paper !

Maybe he's been to jail. Seriously.

He might have been to jail in a high-profile case years ago, served his time, and now just wants to live anonymously, scared that someone might recognise him and let people know where he is.

mfceiling

Congratulations OP.....you are living next door to larry murphy...

Hande hoche!

Just give red fox the launch codes.

junipergreen

true-or-false wrote: »

Maybe he's been to jail. Seriously.

He might have been to jail in a high-profile case years ago, served his time, and now just wants to live anonymously, scared that someone might recognise him and let people know where he is.

The problem is we never even noticed him until he started this crap - he's just drawing attention to himself by carrying on like this. Maybe that's his game...

Guill

mfceiling wrote: »

Congratulations OP.....you are living next door to larry murphy...

Damn, i just thought of that!

OP, next time he walks by just say 'How'ya Larry' and give him a big cheeky smile - don't lead him on though....

C-Shore

Do you live in cowper downs?

junipergreen

chin_grin wrote: »

Facebook, he's doing it wrong.

So good, I'm still laughing

Captain Darling

Maybe he's got a massive zit.

junipergreen

C-Shore wrote: »

Do you live in cowper downs?

Don't know where that is.

GavRedKing

I'm going to say hes a sex offender in hiding.

sbsquarepants

The old "i never looked at him, untill he tried to stop me looking at him" line.
Hmmmmmmmm:rolleyes:

elaverty

ASK HIM,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Or maybe ask him for the time the next time he is walking past you,or some conversation and see how he reacts to you,,,

Caveman1

Social Welfare officer, Are you working and claiming? :eek:

PCPhoto

meh ...I see you've played knifey spooney before !

junipergreen

Caveman1 wrote: »

Social Welfare officer, Are you working and claiming? :eek:

I wish! That at least would make sense.

stupidusername

Is it possible he's autistic? many autistic people have problems making eye contact with people, it can actually really upset some when you do it. maybe you should consider it could be something like that, and leave the guy alone.

Sooopie

C-Shore wrote: »

Do you live in cowper downs?

1994 wants its joke back.

StephenHendry

junipergreen wrote: »

This is a bizarre post but I really would like other people's opinions on my weirdo neighbour's bizarre behaviour...

So there's an old man who lives next door to my apartment building. Never even noticed him until this freaky **** started a few weeks ago - he came out his gate and walked past us with a newspaper held up to hide his face from off. Several times me and my flatmate have seen him walk past our window with the newspaper held up too. Now if it was a once off I wouldn't think anything of, or alternatively if he did it all the time I wouldn't take it personally - but as of today we're 100% sure this is just for us. He walked past as we were outside smoking and as soon as he passed us he took the newspaper down. He walked past his gate and kept going so I peeped around the corner to see what he was up to - only to see him turn around, realise that I was looking at him and promptly throw the newspaper back up in front of his face. WTF?

Any suggestions as to what on earth is going through this man's head? Having seen his face today I know that I don't recognise him at all, so it's definitely not someone I've ever had a run in with. We're totally freaked out by this and not really sure what's going on - any help?!

that is odd behaviour, it would make sense in some way (not that it would) if you knew him from years back , say if you or your family fell out with him and he didn't want to be recognised by you if case you told your family.

i'd say someone needs to have a word with him , your brother or your OH , id have a word with him myself except that you are so far away (presuming you are in cork going by the location with your username) i could pm you maybe ?

squod

He doesn't want to see you OP.

Giselle

stupidusername wrote: »

Is it possible he's autistic? many autistic people have problems making eye contact with people, it can actually really upset some when you do it. maybe you should consider it could be something like that, and leave the guy alone.

Thats what I thought, or maybe he's got some mild mental issues. Either way he doesn't seem to be violent or a threat so you should probably just live and let live.

hungrychef

Maybe it's payback.
People have weird ways of doing things sometimes. Perhaps you ignored him at some point (you said you never noticed him before) by accident.. Something stupid like, not holding a door or replying to a passer-bys hello with headphones on and he took it as offense.
So in his head he's taking the rudeness of ignoring up another notch without actually being confrontational. Or maybe he's just amusing himself. If he lives alone it's probably one of those things to get a kick out of the day.
Next time he walks past, try ignoring the paper and just say "good morning".

Mr. Presentable

Next time he does it yell "mind the dogsh1t"!

smash

By any chance are you an obese naturist?

paddyandy

gavredking wrote: »

I'm going to say hes a sex offender in hiding.

You will answer for that sometime in your life if you're lucky or ....That's an Idiot Comment.

Rookster

Maybe he does'nt want to be looking at "Fat Slags".

cofy

Maybe his game is to freek you out. I know some elderly people find it very funny to freek out younger people. It's more likely to be mental issues, maybe he feels threatened by you for some unknown reason. Try saying hello to him.

howamidifferent

Ask him for a loan of his newspaper.

leggo

Sounds like a really long-term game of Peek-a-boo. The kids love Peek-a-boo.

junipergreen

cofy wrote: »

Maybe his game is to freek you out. I know some elderly people find it very funny to freek out younger people. It's more likely to be mental issues, maybe he feels threatened by you for some unknown reason. Try saying hello to him.

I'm thinking mental issues of some kind is probably the most likely thing - I'd hate to think anyone would feel threatened by me, but maybe if he's an old man who lives alone, two girls smoking on the street near his house freaks him out. I definitely won't be saying hello to him as I suspect he might find this even more threatening/upsetting. I wish we could find somewhere else to stand but we can't smoke in our flat so not a lot of options.

Blackhorse Slim

Haven't you heard? The speed of light has been broken, that makes time travel not only possible but compulsory.

He's your future son, he just wanted to see what you looked like before "the accident". :eek:

junipergreen

stupidusername wrote: »

Is it possible he's autistic? many autistic people have problems making eye contact with people, it can actually really upset some when you do it. maybe you should consider it could be something like that, and leave the guy alone.

We've never done anything to the man, so I'm not sure what you mean by leaving him alone. Maybe he is autistic and that's what all this is about. Thank you for the suggestion, that's why I posted the question - for ideas about what could be causing him to act like this, so that it doesn't freak me out as much.

junipergreen

StephenHendry wrote: »

that is odd behaviour, it would make sense in some way (not that it would) if you knew him from years back , say if you or your family fell out with him and he didn't want to be recognised by you if case you told your family.

i'd say someone needs to have a word with him , your brother or your OH , id have a word with him myself except that you are so far away (presuming you are in cork going by the location with your username) i could pm you maybe ?

That would make sense alright, but I'm not from Cork so I don't really have a history around these parts. I don't really want to engage with him so I wouldn't ask anyone to speak to him but thanks for the offer!

Laisurg

junipergreen wrote: »

This is a bizarre post but I really would like other people's opinions on my weirdo neighbour's bizarre behaviour...

So there's an old man who lives next door to my apartment building. Never even noticed him until this freaky **** started a few weeks ago - he came out his gate and walked past us with a newspaper held up to hide his face from off. Several times me and my flatmate have seen him walk past our window with the newspaper held up too. Now if it was a once off I wouldn't think anything of, or alternatively if he did it all the time I wouldn't take it personally - but as of today we're 100% sure this is just for us. He walked past as we were outside smoking and as soon as he passed us he took the newspaper down. He walked past his gate and kept going so I peeped around the corner to see what he was up to - only to see him turn around, realise that I was looking at him and promptly throw the newspaper back up in front of his face. WTF?

Any suggestions as to what on earth is going through this man's head? Having seen his face today I know that I don't recognise him at all, so it's definitely not someone I've ever had a run in with. We're totally freaked out by this and not really sure what's going on - any help?!

Right, let me get this straight, there's a weird bloke that sticks his newspaper up to his face when he's walking past you and you're extremely frightened by this?

I think you're the one who needs help.

Samich

Maybe you have leprosy?

junipergreen

Laisurg wrote: »

Right, let me get this straight, there's a weird bloke that sticks his newspaper up to his face when he's walking past you and you're extremely frightened by this?

I think you're the one who needs help.

Maybe so.

ejmaztec

This is probably what's going on behind the paper.

billybudd

smoking, second hand smoke from two nut jobs permantly stalking old man who wants to protect his lungs by covering nasal and mouth entries with newspaper.

veloc123

It is Dom Jolly from Trigger Happy TV......you have brief case to swap...

John Doe1

Could be doing it for the LOLs to freak you out, old men have a lot of time on their hands.

You could just be hideously unpleasant to look at OP

inurface

either he's (a) a sex offender, (b) bertie or (c) seanie fitz.

not sure which one is worse...

i'd start looking for a new place to live.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Do the exact same next time he's passing, put your hand over your face Martin Cahill Stylee!

Icyseanfitz

inurface wrote: »

either he's (a) a sex offender, (b) bertie or (c) seanie fitz.

not sure which one is worse...

i'd start looking for a new place to live.

:eek: hahaha god i hate my name

deep1

OP,
Same kind of guy lives in my friend apt ( Long hat, coat) always hiding face and if see anyone coming turns around.
there is a good chance you are living in same apt as my friend. he lives on the apartment on quays.