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[blue]

When I was in high school I read an article about the concept of ‘familiar strangers’. The handy ol’ interweb just gave me a definition:

Familiar Strangers are individuals that we regularly observe but do not interact with.  By definition a Familiar Stranger (1) must be observed, (2) repeatedly, and (3) without any interaction. The claim is that the relationship we have with these Familiar Strangers is indeed a real relationship in which both parties agree to mutually ignore each other, without any implications of hostility. A good example is a person that one sees on the subway every morning. If that person fails to appear, we notice.

More info here and here.

I was reminded of this recently when I realised that I'd 'lost' one of the familiar strangers in my life. He’s a middle aged man that I used to see nearly every afternoon, when he’d be walking along the road carrying a bottle of wine.

So now that I’ve rambled on about it, does anyone else take notice of 'familiar strangers'?

I know that on occasion I’ve worried that I’ve missed a train or bus because the people I would normally catch it with haven’t shown up.

[pseudonym]

I know exactly what you mean!    I'm glad that there's a term to describe that.

There's a guy that I used to see every single day on the bus.  Didn't seem to matter which bus I caught (there's a lot that stop where I live), he was on it.

Then he must have got another job or something, because I don't see him anymore.  It was only this morning that I was wondering what happened to him.

[Nick 2]

I used to catch the bus into town to go to uni a few years back and I had my share of familiar strangers who would catch it with me every morning.

Now that I'm catching the bus once again I see they're almost all still there.  like 5 years later. You'd think they'd have cars by now. I'd ask them, but that would ruin our mutual ignorance of each other.

[Lord Biscuit©]

There's a guy that I used to see every single day on the bus.  Didn't seem to matter which bus I caught (there's a lot that stop where I live), he was on it.

Maybe he's in jail for stalking?

[Nick 2]

Maybe he's in jail for stalking?

He was on the bus before she caught it.

What did you do with the body nym?

[.]

Yeah there's an old dero who always walks up and down Liverpool Road...sometimes he sits at the bus stop outside the shops...other times he's walking down the road. He always carries those plastic checkered storage bags and he has a white bushy beard. I can't tell if he's homeless or what. Weird.

[Lord Biscuit©]

Yeah there's an old dero who always walks up and down Liverpool Road...sometimes he sits at the bus stop outside the shops...other times he's walking down the road. He always carries those plastic checkered storage bags and he has a white bushy beard. I can't tell if he's homeless or what. Weird.

I suspect that's the mayor.

[a passing lunatic]

I dunno, in Alice Springs you tend to meet everyone like that for completely unrelated reasons; like, they play canoe polo as well or something.

I suppose there's a really hairy guy I see when I'm our walking the dogs every now and then.

Somewhat unrelated, but in the last month I've met about 3 people and I've introduced myself and they said something like "yeah, I know". I certainly don't recall meeting them, and I'm pretty sure my memory's pretty good, too....

[Mr Pants]

Wow, I didn't know people could make money publishing psychology papers on the BLEEDING FUCKING OBVIOUS.

[Blur]

Yeah there's an old dero who always walks up and down Liverpool Road...sometimes he sits at the bus stop outside the shops...other times he's walking down the road. He always carries those plastic checkered storage bags and he has a white bushy beard. I can't tell if he's homeless or what. Weird.

He sounds homeless Yak. Perhaps he was walking from the shelter he stayed at the previous evening to a particular spot he likes to go during the day. Smile and say hello 

There is an older man that has a coffee every morning at the same place I do. Now, we acknowledge one another. He even offered me the Financial Review to read. Certainly not, thanks dear. 

[Fritz]

I used to catch the bus into town to go to uni a few years back and I had my share of familiar strangers who would catch it with me every morning.

Didn't you call them "friends" Nick? 

[Truckarella]

There is a guy I see around intersections in the East of Melbourne who I believe is called 'Bouncin' Brian.'   He has headphones on and dances and dances and dances on high visibilities corners.  Although everyone toots at him as they go past, and he grins and waves, whenever I walk past him and wave and we exchange hellos, I like to think he remembers me.

[Fritz]

There is a guy I see around intersections in the East of Melbourne who I believe is called 'Bouncin' Brian.'   He has headphones on and dances and dances and dances on high visibilities corners.  Although everyone toots at him as they go past, and he grins and waves, whenever I walk past him and wave and we exchange hellos, I like to think he remembers me.

I do remember you truckstar. Give me a big wave next time will ya.

[Truckarella]

You are the happiest man I've ever seen Fritz.

Plus, that dancing keeps you very trim!

[Fritz]

one two three four, get your booty on the dance floor

five six seven now, com'n baby let me show you how.

one two three four, get your booty on the dance floor, work it out, shake you little mamma, let me see you do the Jane Fonda.

*Apologies to Mickey Avalon if lyrics are wrong*