Let's Not Meet~ Reddit Horror Stories

The Closing Shift Creep

This begins in 2011. I had just turned 24 and, with my cosmetology license, I began working at a hair salon down the street from my apartment. I lived in a very wealthy suburban neighborhood on the water; I called it the sleepy beach town. Most nights I worked the front desk, closing with my coworker, Becky. Becky was a shy and reserved younger girl, who would easily get embarrassed talking to costumers. I, on the other hand, was very extroverted and took pleasure talking with anyone and everyone. The salon was divided three ways. There was the room to the left where the stylist cut and colored hair; the receptionist's desk was on the right when you first walked in; and behind it, there was a wall between the desk and the back room, reserved for guest waiting, spa treatments and shampooing. I had to approach from the side to get behind the desk.

It started off as a typical night at the salon. There were two stylists finishing up a couple clients in the stylist room, while I was busy training Becky on how to close out the cash register. The clock just turned 6:30pm and it was already dark out when a man walked in. He was tall and a true silver fox with a full head of hair, he wore a black North Face fleece, and he looked like your typical Pacific Northwest local.

He asked me if he could take seat and wait. This is not a weird request in the salon since many women's husbands come to pick them up and wait until their wife's appointment is finished. I assumed this man was doing the same. Twenty minutes passed, and then he walked right up next to Becky and I behind the counter.

He looked down at me and says, "I've been waiting but no one has showed up." I politely asked who he was waiting for, and he replied, "You know... winks" "No sir, I do not. How can I help you?" "Are both of you over 18?" "Excuse me?" "I have good money and I been patiently waiting. Now I'm getting irritated. I want my 'massage' and I want it now."

Fear had crept over me since he started standing there, especially because he had his hand in his pocket, and because he was hovering over me in an area with no escape. And then I noticed the handle of a knife sticking out his fleece, and the wrist band of a medical patient ID. I signaled to Becky to call 911, but she had completely frozen. I told the man he needed to come to the front of the counter if he wanted me to begin his appointment. He slowly sauntered to the front of the counter. Then he leans in and softly says to me, "I like that dark shade of lipstick you're wearing. Will you be wearing it for me?"

That was when I grabbed the phone and made it VERY apparent I was calling 911. I quickly began giving a full description of him including the wrist band I had noticed. He turned around and left out the front. I had this weird feeling that he wasn't done yet and so I locked the entry door – a few moments later he came running up, stopped, and stared into my eyes. His eyes looked empty and careless with rage as he began punching the front door! He slowly turned and quietly started walking away.

While this was going on, I told everyone to remain calm and said that it was being handled. Thankfully, the cops showed up immediately and detained him. The officer had explained to me the man had escaped the psychiatric hospital a few towns over, and was looking for a 'happy ending' massage parlor. During our weekly team meeting, the owner of the salon told me that what I did was 'not protocol' and that if it were to happen again, to get an "adult" to help. I left that salon shortly after and am very happy with my career change into real estate...so far.

Creepy man escaping the psychiatric hospital for a quickie, let's not meet again.