Nice to "meet" you... sort of.

My husband calls me "the magnet". Not because I randomly stick to the fridge or set off the metal detectors at airports but because of the strange people who are drawn to me when we are out and about. On the train, bus, plane, no matter where we go in the world if there is a nutty person about you can be sure to find them chatting to me. It made for some interesting nights out when I was single. Not.

It's not that I'm oblivious to the nuttiness, oh no I am very perceptive. I see the nut a mile off. I know that if it is a chatty nut, then there is no point running, the nut will find me. I've tried to do the nod and smile thing but you know how talkative I am. My version of silent treatment still contains words. My husband says it encourages the nuts but I feel so sorry for them. I'd hate it if I said something to a stranger and they ignored me so I always end up chatting.

It happened on the way back from our Thailand trip in February. I accidentally befriended some sort of drug lord. Well that's what my husband thinks anyway. This rather colourful character who kept calling me bella and chatting to me like an old friend. He told us he had a small jewellery store in a tiny NSW coastal town. He said he flew to Thailand 5 times a year to attend gem fairs and 20 years ago he spent some time up in the hills of Thailand with his wife.

Fair enough, you say. What makes him a drug lord? My husband tried talking to him about a mining company he had floated, you know since he was into gems and all and he very quickly changed the topic. When asked how business was going in at the height of the GFC he actually said it was booming and the retail sector was doing the best it had done in years. Umm ok.

He also mentioned he only ever goes first class and for a country town jeweller it all seemed a little odd. He spent a fair amount of time name dropping as well. When we got home, me being the avid researcher that I am (aka nosey parker) I looked him up. There is no way that store turns around the sort of cash he'd need to jet about the way he does. So my husband's theory of the drug lord made a little bit more sense and it also adds some sparkle to an otherwise boring travel story.

Now that I have this funny little blog, the same thing happens via email. My husband says I shouldn't reply to the really nutty ones and let me tell you they are rather odd but I feel so bad I always do and then the sagas begin. Now you know what he sent me this morning my dear husband?

He sent me THIS article. It is horrifying. Another story out of the US about a woman who made friends with someone online who later killed her and removed her baby from her womb. The baby also died. Tragic story. My husband thought I should read it in light of my magnet problem.

Thanks dear. Now I feel ill. Shudder.

So tell me, are you also a magnet? How about online? It also just ocurred to me that maybe you think you are the magnets and I am the crazy person. Oh dear.

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