Although we generally try to avoid feelings of disgust, there are times when we are faced with circumstances that make us gag or run away. The horrific events that the people in this essay go through still make sense to them.
I was in the grocery store with my dad when I was about fourteen. He turned the corner into another alley, but I was distracted by the phone and missed him. When I looked up he was gone and in the aisle with me was a mother and her toddler daughter.
It took me maybe twenty seconds to look up and see my dad.
The daughter said, “Mom, I have to sneeze!” at which point her mother got down on her hands and knees to allow her daughter to sneeze into her mouth. Then she got up and if nothing happened. © Reddit / Bonybug
I once witnessed a woman changing her baby on a table in a mall food court. As it was Christmas, there were a lot of people around. She was just indifferent.
“Look, some lady just changed the baby on that table,” I also mentioned to the guards, but they didn’t say anything. © Reddit/ratsandfoxbats
When I was ten years old, I was at an overnight camp with a friend. There was a radiator against the wall of the spacious room we were in.
Coincidentally, my companion saw a large piece of chewing gum stuck to it. She easily took it out, put it in her mouth, and chewed like it was normal. © Reddit / DareWright
On my way home from school on a rainy day, I noticed this woman wearing flip-flops. The problem was that water could be seen seeping between the deep fractures at the heels of her feet whenever she stepped. © Reddit / Strkr
I was waiting for my turn at a fast food restaurant, anticipation building in my gut. When I finally got to the counter, I ordered my usual burger combo. While waiting I smelled a bad smell from the kitchen. Regardless, I excitedly opened my burger to discover slimy tomatoes inside. I was about to close when one of the cockroaches crawled out from under the bun. Horrified, I shoved the food aside with a quick gag and completely lost my appetite.
At our BBQ celebration, everyone contributed a dish. Potato salad made from scratch was served by my brother’s new girlfriend. It was tasty but a bit sour. Anyone who ate it the next day got sick.
Later that day I was cleaning when I noticed a horrible smell coming from the kitchen waste.
When I opened it, I discovered packets tucked into the bottom with a gross smell of potato salad. On closer inspection, they were long expired. Needless to say, I was disgusted and furious.
I was on the subway once. The guy in front of me ran to pick up an object from the ground near my foot. He took it in his mouth and started chewing. It was an old piece of gum that had been stepped on and stuck to the ground. © Reddit/Valoudev
An abdominal abscess was present in a homeless man who came to our hospital. When we got inside to survey the damage and treat his injuries, we were shocked to find that he was hiding his money inside.
He almost casually said that he kept his money there to protect it from theft. © Reddit / DyingLion
While riding the subway, I observed a woman blowing her dreadlocks. The smell and the bark indicated that this was a regular habit for her. © Reddit / epidemic
At the bus stop, a well-dressed woman was sitting behind me, enjoying the raw chicken she had recently bought at the shop across the street. She had been waiting at the same time as me for months, probably on her way to and from work. But there she was, waiting for a bus in 105-degree heat, eating raw chicken in the middle of a South Texas summer like she was starving. © Unknown Author/Reddit
A woman cut her fingernails and toenails while riding a train. Finally, another passenger spoke and she pretended he was being unreasonable. © Reddit / allosaur
A man sitting next to me on a midday regional train once simply pulled out a packet of thread and started threading. Apparently, he was able to throw food scraps out of his teeth.
After doing this for about ten minutes straight, he set the thread aside. As if that wasn’t horrible enough, he started putting his fingers in his ears, cleaning them with his little finger and waxing his pants. © Reddit/Blurryblanket
University Library. Every time they offered free Wi-Fi, an old bearded man who was dirty and smelly visited. I had headphones on, so the muffled giggles were bearable. I love tangerines, so it was okay to pile up a mountain of peels. However, one day when he was cutting his dirty nails, one flew right at me.
I immediately went to the staff and kicked him out. © Reddit/Le_German_Face
I was sitting on a park bench when this man came up to me. He was homeless. He simply placed the folded newspaper on my lap without saying anything. I opened it out of fear to see what he wanted.
Inside the paper, a hideous, slimy ball of a mysterious goon was discovered.
It smelled of rot and decay. The man disappeared into the shadows without a word. Even though it felt like a nightmare, I was undoubtedly awake when it happened.
We’ve all seen strangers act in really weird ways, but when it comes to us, we’d all rather avoid awkward situations – especially in public.
Nevertheless, twelve brave ladies decided to reveal their really unpleasant experiences to demonstrate that we all know these difficult circumstances.
It is undeniable that some experiences can leave us deeply unsettled. From bizarre and unsanitary public behavior to unexpected and shocking encounters, these stories reveal an often hidden side of human nature and things we sometimes wish we couldn’t see. Each scenario highlights a different aspect of the discomfort—whether it’s gross, socially awkward, or just plain surreal.
Together, these anecdotes show that despite our best efforts to avoid such moments, they can occur even in the most mundane of settings. They remind us of the wide spectrum of human behavior and our different reactions to it. Sometimes these experiences are disturbing, and sometimes they are simply bizarre, but they will always serve as a testimony to the unpredictability of public life.
In sharing these disturbing moments, the brave individuals who have recounted their experiences offer a glimpse into the oddities of human existence. They also remind us of our shared humanity and the discomfort we all face from time to time. While these stories may make us cringe, they also make us more aware of the idiosyncrasies of the people around us, and perhaps a little more appreciative of our own, more routine experiences.