Opinions on something / Strange things you have encountered

[tossbag]

OK, so this is a story about me, and maybe advice or opinions can fly around then you share your tales too!
This happened about three weeks ago and I am still scratching my head.
Last year I lost my Mother, I won't go into it here - that's a whole new topic, but it is relevant to this tale.
About three weeks ago my Dad gets a knock on the door, it's a guy from the company that makes the oven he bought a couple of months previous. He says he is there to check on the oven and offer advice on using it as the company had had complaints regarding the oven, complaints that with a little tuition are easy to overcome.
My Dad went along with it although he had never had any issues, he's like that, anything for a quiet life. After Mr Oven Guy had finished he apparently looked at my Dad and said "You have a son don't you" "Aye" Says Dad "He split up with his girlfriend recently didn't he?" "Aye" Says Dad.
Now, as Dad was telling me this story, this struck me as being odd, but not in the realms of impossibility, maybe a joke was being played, maybe the guy knew my brother.
This is the part that no one we know would joke about (especially me, for the purpose of this thread) and also the part that Dad would not remember wrongly.
"Your wife passed away last year didn't she?"
My Dad obviously stuttered here, but answered "Yes I did"
"She used to sit here didn't she?" the man said as he pointed to her favourite chair in Dad's front room.
"Yes she did"
"You know she sits there all the time now, just watching and listening, She's fine and wants you to know that"
At this point he explains to Dad that he is a clairvoyant and basically packs up his stuff and goes.
My own opinion of 'Fortune tellers' and everything that goes with it is that it is all bullst and in all honesty if I was round at Dads at the time I would in all probability not let the guy leave until I had a few more solid answers than what amounts to "I SEE DEAD PEOPLE".
This has caused a little bit of pain, and for me a little bit of anger.
So what the hell happened here? I know 100% that Dad would obviously not make this up (Mum has only been gone a few months) and no one any of us know (that Dad might not for example) would pull a stunt like this.
Advice?

Edited by tossbag on Thursday 30th April 00:17

Edited by tossbag on Thursday 30th April 00:17

[Sheets Tabuer]

I'd be having a word with the company or looking upstairs to see what the accomplice nicked.

It is not a great leap to be showing a bloke how to use a cooker and working out his mrs died, I mean the bloke would usually say oh my wife uses that. The same leap could be made about the chair, he has a 1 in 3 chance and it may have some items around it.

I have had some stuff told to me that I could never explain but I'm sure there must be some rational explanation for it.

[tossbag]

Sheets Tabuer said:

I'd be having a word with the company or looking upstairs to see what the accomplice nicked.

It is not a great leap to be showing a bloke how to use a cooker and working out his mrs died, I mean the bloke would usually say oh my wife uses that. The same leap could be made about the chair, he has a 1 in 3 chance and it may have some items around it.

I have had some stuff told to me that I could never explain but I'm sure there must be some rational explanation for it.

It's not the 'mystery' that gets to me to be honest, it's how and why he did this.
You have said what my first thought was at the time, I will get in touch with his company tommorow.
The comment about showing (an old) bloke how to use a cooker and thinking "Bingo, time to flex my mystic powers" is frankly genius, thank you for that.
My Dad also recently put up a couple of pics of Mum, I think she may even be in that chair.
I will track this guy down for sure and let you know what happened.

[Lil' Joe]

Weird. My mother in law buys all this crap and to be honest I don't. 99% of the time its someone preying on someone else's vunerabilities and beliefs. However, just occasionaly you get some weird stuff that really can't be explained rationally.

I'm a bloke though, so I still dont ever believe it.

[Nobody You Know]

This story unerves me, it is absolutely unnacceptable in my eyes that a proffessional comes into his house and then starts spouting con man bullst. I would complain and get him sacked.

With regards to what he said, none of it is very remarkable, most men his age would have a son (With pictures on walls to confirm), the term 'recently' is non-quantifiable, for a man of your fathers age 'recently' could mean within a week/month/year for the girlfreind break-up. Finally If your father was on his own and still grieving it was probably pretty obvious he had lost his wife. Also in many older peoples houses it is very obvious were the male and the female sit from what is around the chair.

I don't want to sound arrogant but it is 'cold reading' it is a con trick and please explain this to your father so he can move on from it.

Since the "I went to see a medium" thread I have started reading more about 'cold reading' and it has become more obvious how it can be done simply and easily. I shall be using it on young ladees...

Edited by Nobody You Know on Thursday 30th April 00:55

[tossbag]

Right, thank you both for the replies.
You have enforced what I already sort of thought and given me enough of a shot of logic to make a decision.
This to me is not some fairground attraction where giggles can be had about 'You will meet a tall stranger' This is obviously a lot more.
I will be in touch with the company tommorow for sure, so hints on how to get the guy back to Dad's house?
I am thinking about phoning them and asking for the nice man who came around last time.

Edit to add: This whole thing could have given me, a greiving son a ray of hope that Mum was with us, I was there when she passed away and this situation is fast becoming an intrusion into a very very personal thing, I will stay calm, but it will take a lot of self will.

Edited by tossbag on Thursday 30th April 01:24

[Caruso]

tossbag said:

it's a guy from the company that makes the oven he bought a couple of months previous. He says he is there to check on the oven and offer advice on using it as the company had had complaints regarding the oven,

For me this is the most unlikely part of the story. Being able to read minds is comparatively easy compared to an oven manufacturer offering this level of customer service.

[mat13]

perfectly welcome to borrow my rottweiler if you can get him to come round again, see if he can predict/forsee that

[Steameh]

If you have any further doubts, watch the south park episode Biggest Douche in the universe. Pretty much shows you these 'psychics' are able to cold read, in the episode they concentrate on John Edwards and his exploitation of people suffering loss to turn a pretty penny.

Season 6 episode 15 I believe.

[ypauly]

As an avid Derren Brown watcher (have even read on how this stuff is done) I can safely say it's bullst. This bloke is probably practicing for a money spinning sideline, maybe even want's to do it full time. Did he leave a card? so your father or other interested parties can get in touch.

To me this story would only become really weird if it turns out the cooker company has never heard of him.

[tossbag]

Caruso said:

tossbag said:

it's a guy from the company that makes the oven he bought a couple of months previous. He says he is there to check on the oven and offer advice on using it as the company had had complaints regarding the oven,

For me this is the most unlikely part of the story. Being able to read minds is comparatively easy compared to an oven manufacturer offering this level of customer service.

From what I know, it's all legit, it's like a home call out recall type deal (If it isn't I will find out now I am riled up).
As for the Derren Brown comment, yup, I have seen him live and know what can be done, it's astonashing, but I don't think an oven tech is at that level
I am glad I started this thread though, it has given me the kick in the arse to pursue this.
So if for nothing else, thanks

Edited by tossbag on Thursday 30th April 01:34

[Caruso]

tossbag said:

As for the Derren Brown comment, yup, I have seen him live and know what can be done, it's astonashing,

The only astonishing thing is that people fall for his st. It worries me that the same people are allowed to vote.

[catmartin]

Maybe he is really really weird and kept the newspaper from when your mum died and you had your address written in one of the obituaries? He could have found out lots based on what was written in them, especially people's relationships to one another.

[tossbag]

Caruso said:

tossbag said:

As for the Derren Brown comment, yup, I have seen him live and know what can be done, it's astonashing,

The only astonishing thing is that people fall for his st. It worries me that the same people are allowed to vote.

He makes it entertainment though and tells everyone that.
Don't really want this derailed if that's OK

[bridgdav]

I can't explain it, but they are out there....

I had a EX who was really into all that Cr@p. Mystic and cycic fairs.
She had an little indian guy watching over her apparantly. I always asked for Naan and pickles.

BUT...

One day she came out with some stuff ONLY ME knew about my family and the past.
I catagorically never told her about. Details only closed family knew.
I laughed it off. Her tutor also told her about my grandparents, who, what etc..
What she knew wasan't nasty, scarey or damaging - just not open knowledge.
She was told by someone/thing.

This $hit is out there. Most are 99% fake, but some know stuff....

I can't relate to your situation, but if this freak was genuine in any way knowing stuff, then who are we to lambast. what would you do in their position..? Did they ask for money..?

[tossbag]

bridgdav said:

One day she came out with some stuff ONLY ME knew about my family and the past.

I totally understand where you are coming from, but can you expand on what was said, unless it's personal of course?

Edited by tossbag on Thursday 30th April 02:00

[LotusACBC]

Tossbag, you are giving up that easy? You are missing the poin--the one from the very beginning-- what did this man have to gain by saying what he said to your father? Think about it--it is not as if he then conned your dad out of anything

[tossbag]

LotusACBC said:

Tossbag, you are giving up that easy? You are missing the poin--the one from the very beginning-- what did this man have to gain by saying what he said to your father? Think about it--it is not as if he then conned your dad out of anything

I know.
I totally know, so now I guess the mission is to find out why, leave it with me, it's my bed time now, but I won't let this lie, I will have more info on, erm, Thursday.

[bridgdav]

tossbag said:

bridgdav said:

One day she came out with some stuff ONLY ME knew about my family and the past.

I totally understand where you are coming from, but can you expand on what was said, unless it's personal of course?

It is a bit personal and I won't go into any detail.

I lost my Father at 15, lost my Step-father at 17. I suppose I've been hardened to death over the years..

She told me things about both.. Who they were and what they did etc.. No Mean feat there. But when she started asking questions about their parents and siblings, asking for confirmation of dates, names and professions.. It all got a little surreal.

My stepfather had a TVR many years before he met my mother.. Which she knew all about - I never told her as I didn't have mine when we were together, he also done some not so nice stuff - She knew and asked about it.. Was I going to go down the same route...?

Never was anything she asked about or questioned damaging to me or my family, but was unnerving all the same.

[Nobody You Know]

[head in hands]Why are people even indulging the notion that any of this bullst could actually be real paranormal stuff? It's all 100% a con![/head in hands]