Seeing a teacher outside of school can always be an interesting situation. However, some of these encounters are incredibly uncomfortable and just plain embarrassing to have to deal with.
Stalking Her In Target’s Pharmacy?
“This past summer I saw my 8th-grade teacher (I’m now in college, it’s been 7 years since I had her) at a pharmacy while I was hunting for OTC pain pills on a regular trip to Target. She saw me and started yelling at me for stalking her. I decided to just go to another area of the store for a few minutes, but after 4 minutes of waiting there she showed up and started accusing me of stalking her again. When I had her as a teacher, she was really down to earth and funny and really cared about her students. I have no idea what happened, but it made me sad.
A few months later I went to the grocery store with one of my roommates, very far away from that Target, and I saw her there again. My roommate and I were trying to figure out dinner, and my teacher entered the aisle and stopped and started screaming about how she has a stalker and personally attacking me because I now have two tattoos.
It sucks seeing what kind of people your favorite teachers really are.”
An Incredibly Creepy Comment To Make About A Van…
“I was at the state fair one year walking around the automotive expo area with my dad. There were a bunch of new models of cars on display. Walking past one kidnapper type van, I overhear a familiar voice say: ‘Wonder how many girls I could kidnap with that one.’ I turn around to look.
The comment has come from none other than my high school orchestra director.
Of course, I had to say hello and introduce him to my dad right after that. His face was bright red. I thought it was hilarious!”
Hearing About The Teacher’s Love Life Problems?
“Just for a bit of context, I spent my teenage years in a boarding school which was separated into boarding houses and their respective houses. When I was about 13, I had an interview to join Mr. S’ house and found out shortly afterward, that I had been accepted. After this came the summer holidays and my family chose got invited my another to stay with them for two nights at ‘The Watchtower’, which was a beautiful but very rural house in the middle of nowhere (think no electricity or heating, with questionable running water to boot).
When we got there, lo and behold Mr. S (who had just split up with his wife) was also there, due to his being friends with the other family. To cut a long story short, I was expected to share a room with him, which I wasn’t pleased with but was talked into agreeing to. So the evening goes on, and I ended up going to bed at about 10. At about 1 in the morning, I was woken by a loud thump and a sound that (at the tender age of 13) I had never heard before: that of a grown man crying. I was mortifyingly embarrassed to realise that it was Mr. S, crying, but said nothing of it, hoping to just ignore it and go back to sleep: however, he proceeded to lie in bed and try and talk to me, drunkenly and incoherently telling me how he had ‘screwed up his life’ and lost the ‘only woman he had ever loved’.
Eventually, we both fell asleep, but it made my enrollment in his boarding house the following September 1000x more interesting!”
Bet She Regretted That Ignorant Insult…
“My second-grade teacher was horrible, she told my mother that I was so stupid I would never be able to read or tell time. Needless to say, my mom had me transferred to another class that year where I learned to read and tell time just fine.
Fast forward to high school, I was working at a bookstore (avid reader!) when my second-grade teacher came in and asked for my help finding numerous ‘romance’ novels. She didn’t recognize me, so after I helped her find what she was looking for I ran her up as so:
‘Well that will be $59.67 Mrs. Campbell, how would you like to pay?’
I watched as she slowly realized in horror who I was. I smiled and said it was nice to see her again, although I wish I would have mentioned how ironic it was I worked in a bookstore seeing as I was so clearly stupid.
Screw you, Mrs. Campbell.”
Spencer’s Gifts Is An Uncomfortable Place To Ring Out Anyone You Know
“I worked at Spencer’s Gifts when the 50 Shades of Grey book was first gaining traction, I was 17. One of my high school history teachers came in being all handsy with his wife to buy the book and a bunch of ‘starter’ toys inspired by it, and I had to ring him up.
He recognized me really quickly and pretended he didn’t know me, to the point where he called me (a very obviously teenaged girl) ‘ma’am’. It was uncomfortable for everyone involved.
We both avoided eye contact every time we passed in the halls for the rest of my time in school.”
If He Hid Behind A Tree…He Was Definitely On Something
“There is this little vacation town about 20 minutes away from where I grew up. It’s fun to hang out there in the summer because of all the shops and lakeshore festivities. Live music in the streets, etc. I had just graduated 8th grade and my friends and I were walking around the streets one summer evening.
We saw our 7th grade English teacher and some of his friends walking toward us. ‘Hey Mr. Brown!’ (Fake name). He proceeded to stop mid stride and freeze. He stayed that way for a few seconds with his eyes wide and then looked around and went and hid behind a tree, just peeking out at us every few seconds. We were cracking up laughing and walked over to him like wtf are you doing.
He says, ‘I may have done drugs and you shouldn’t see me like this.’ He was probably in his mid 20’s at the time. He looked paranoid as ever and his friends were in tears from laughing so hard. It was great.”
A Teacher Who “Forgets” Her Students After Graduation
“I went to a tiny school – all 4 main subject teachers taught all 4 years of their subject. I graduated with 7 other people in all. My math teacher apparently had a habit of acting like you didn’t exist at all after you graduated. I’ve mentioned it to others I graduated with, including my husband, and they’ve all experienced it.
I ran into her a few weeks after my graduation in the supermarket. She looked me dead in the eyes, we stood not even 8 feet away from one another, I smiled and said hi. She looked at me for a second or two longer, and then just kept walking.
Another incident, with the same teacher, happened when my husband and I were visiting home while he was on leave after returning home from a deployment. It just so happened that Veteran’s day was that week, and our much loved English teacher, who I still occasionally chat with and often see when we happen to be home, invited us to a veteran alumni event at the school. We went, saw our other teachers. We stopped by the math teacher’s room before leaving, popping our head in to give a wave and a goodbye – she didn’t even look up from her computer.
My husband went on and on about ‘a glitch in the matrix, maybe only we see her!’ stuff, which is the result of a mind on a healthy diet of Asimov and Bova. Nonetheless, it’s not that I’m offended or expect her to be my BFF, it’s just really awkward.”
He Assumed That Her Brother Was Actually Her Son
Duplass/Shutterstock
“There are 12 years between myself and my brother. When he was about 2.5 years old, he got invited to the birthday party of one of the kids at his nursery. My parents were busy but could drop us off and pick us up after, so I basically babysat him at this party. I’m 14/15 years old at the time, still in secondary school.
We get to the birthday party and one of the first people I spot is my math teacher from the previous year. We get chatting and my brother is playing with his kid. Then he asks the question everyone else asks me when they see me with my brother.
‘So… is he yours?’
Usually, at this point I roll my eyes and explain that he’s my brother and we have a big age gap blah, blah, blah… but I had a mouthful of cake at the time. Not only this but because I was still quite prudish I realized that this teacher thought I had had sex, conceived and given birth to my brother. For some reason, him being my teacher made everything much more awkward and embarrassing than usual.
I manage to swallow my cake but still splutter, and he gets all embarrassed and apologizes. That point on, things were just plain awkward. More awkward than they should have been.”
The Sauna Of No Escape
“Three days ago. I was with my brother at the gym. We decided to go to the sauna. And there he was. My Spanish teacher. Walking away was not an option because he already saw me. He is 50 years old.
I totally accepted the situation and my brother and I just talked to each other. BAM. Out of nowhere my brother almost screamed; ‘Lies, what is that on your back?’ ‘OMFG IS THAT A LOVE BITE?’ He almost killed me with all his questions. He did not know that my Spanish teacher was in there. My Spanish teacher knows everything.
I died there. My life ended three days ago.”
When You Know The Defendant In The Courtroom…
“I’m not a student anymore but about 3 years ago I was called for Jury Duty; Jury Duty in Miami sucks but what’s worse is that you will probably always end up running into someone you know. So of course because I am me I always get freaking picked for everything, my second time doing Jury Duty and my second time being called into the pool.
So I strut into the room and sit down preparing my made up story so they would let me leave, low and behold I look up and smack dab in the middle of the podium stands my senior year Geometry teacher which also doubled as our wrestling coach and gym teacher (cause you know, freaking private Catholic schools). I chuckle a bit then sit back resting assured that I would only be there a few more minutes. I wait as the judge is going around the room having the lawyers introduce themselves, then the 2 dudes who got into it. Soon after everyone is introduced the judge turns to us poor unfortunate souls and asks if any of us in the pool have any connections to anyone in court.
My hand shoots up and she goes through a few other people then calls on me. I stand up to say my name and ‘I know Mr. RC, he was my high school Geometry teacher. Whatever that gentleman says I will back him up.’ The judge laughed and then told me and the other folks to head out that we wouldn’t be needed. We had to wait a second before the judge cleared out and then came back before we could be let go. She came back and actually, they came to a decision so we all go to leave but it was nice being able to use him to my advantage.
Once we all started to leave we were all to shake hands of the lawyers etc. SO I got to him, he gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me I was one lucky person for getting him and that he applauded my decision to use him to my advantage for trying to get out of it! We talked about what we were both up to and then I took my check and rode out! Really weird but still hilarious running into him like that!”
Catching Your Teachers Having An Affair?
“When my Spanish teacher used the back booth of my restaurant (I was a waitress) to have her affair with a history teacher, also from the same school.
I did not have that history teacher, but my friend did and said he was creepy (sometimes leaned over and said ‘nice skirt’, that kind of thing).
Anyway, I had just graduated high school and was waiting tables at a Chili’s knockoff. There was a couple practically having sex in the back booth of the smoking section. All of the waitstaff were making a fuss because of the grossness of their display.
I was so shocked to recognize them both! And she had been my Spanish teacher. They were drunk. At one point she recognized me and hailed me by my ‘Spanish name,’ the one I was assigned in class.
I was more embarrassed in front if my coworkers to know her than I was because she was my teacher.
She certainly didn’t give a care, because they came back and did their thing for months. The waitstaff came to expect them. Then they would go out front and dry hump against his Jeep Cherokee.
A year later I had a job waiting tables at a country club. Over a communal staff lunch, I learned that one of my coworkers was her son. I got to hear about how she abandoned her sons (even though they all lived in the same town) and was basically a huge embarrassment to him. So it was even crazier to get more info, even after the debacle was over.”
Awkward Run-Ins At The Gym Locker Room…
“I hated my drama teacher because she hated me. I wasn’t in drama, but I took some course she taught as an elective on music and culture or something because I thought it sounded fun… but it wasn’t. To this day I don’t know why she obviously hated me and was always so hard on me.
My husband went to the same school (in another grade) and was in drama, and confirmed that this teacher had favorites and also students that she hated, so it wasn’t just my teenage angst that made me feel that way. I should also mention it bothered me so much because usually teachers like me!
After I graduated, I went to the local gym often. I liked this gym because I never saw any other students there or anyone else I knew at all. It was mostly a social club older people like my dad.
Then one day I saw her. In the women’s locker room. ONLY WEARING A TOWEL. I was fully dressed and leaving and she said hi to me, uncomfortably. I would rather we just ignore each other and pretend it never happened, but she went for it. I don’t remember what we talked about because I was so uncomfortable, but thankfully it was brief.
I hated her a little less after that mostly because she wasn’t my teacher anymore, but also because she looked weak in that towel and was now using a cane to support herself. Her cheeks were kind of red, from embarrassment or from the steam room, and the towel wrapped around her just barely fit. I started to feel bad for all the jokes I made at her expense behind her back. Good for her for going to the gym at her age, you know?
But I also stopped going to that gym because that was too freaking close for comfort.”
Guess He Didn’t Recognize Her…
“I just moved home after living away from home for about 3 years for school. So, I’m out Christmas shopping and I see one of my old teachers from high school. I knew him quite well back in the day and decided I would go and say hello.
So I stroll up all confident and say ‘Hey, Mr. Smith!’ To which he looks up and nods and promptly turns around and walks away.
I was left standing there for a moment unsure what to do. I was so nervous at that point that I walked away continuing the sentence I would have said to him. ‘So I uh… Just wanted to say hello.’ I said to myself as I kept walking.
Not sure if he didn’t recognize me, or just didn’t care to talk that day. Either way, felt pretty embarrassing.”
She Didn’t Expect An Afterparty…
“I was babysitting for one of the high school teachers probably when I was in 10th or 11th grade. He and his wife get home and I call my dad to come pick me up and I was just hanging out in the kitchen waiting for him, chatting with the wife about the kids. Then all these cars start pulling up and people flood into the house with cases of beer, bottles of booze. It was all teachers from the high school that taught me or we’re currently teaching me. They were all so drunk and would like sober up when they saw me and try to make awkward conversation for a few minutes. Apparently the teacher I was babysitting for offered up his house for the after party of whatever they did that night.
I think it was more awkward for them than it was for me. I especially remember my French teacher who was such a buttoned up and serious middle aged lady literally stumbling into the house giggling, hair all a mess, plastered. She started telling me how well I did on a presentation I had earlier that week and how happy I’d be when I got my grade back. The thing that got me the most was when my dad finally got there and I’m walking to the car a few of them were in the garage smoking cigs and tried to hide them when I walked by.”
He Kind Of Wanted To Experience The London Science Museum Without His Physics Teacher…
“Back when I was in high school I was going to London for the weekend with my family, on the train. We got on the train, to our carriage, and it just so happened my physics teacher was like 5 rows in front of me. We made casual small talk about going to London and then he was like ‘what are you doing there?’ And I was like ‘oh just seeing the sights and going to a few museums.’ He just smiled and I sat down.
The next day I saw him like 5 times in the Science Museum. Now I really liked science and he was a cool teacher. But he kept coming up to me and talking to me about the science and it was kinda awkward to spend half of the day on a 1 to 1 field trip with my physics teacher…”
Dolores Umbridge Was Basically His Teacher…
“I had an algebra teacher in 7th grade who I simply did not like. Now that I know of Dolores Umbridge, that’s exactly who my former teacher, Mrs. M reminds me of (minus the twisted magical punishments, but she probably would have done it if she was a real witch). She never had a strand of hair out of place, all her clothes were perfectly ironed, every single outfit looked as if the trousers were made for that specific top . . . and you know that little ‘hmm’ noise that Umbridge would make when she disapproved of something? Mrs. M did that, too. She was as prim and proper as could be.
Well, my friend and I were riding our bikes around our neighborhood in our very conservative town one day, and we saw a couple ahead of us walking down the street (literally in the street, which was odd since we had sidewalks). The man had his hand down the back of the lady’s pants. (This just wasn’t something you did in the middle of broad daylight in my town.) As I got closer, I thought, Oh no! I’d know those perfectly pleated pants and that thick, blonde hair anywhere. That’s Mrs. M__!
Right then I decided that I was going to turn down the next alleyway so I could avoid riding by my teacher and, I assume, her husband. As we approached the alley, however, my friend yelled to me, ‘Hey! That’s Mrs. M__!’ At that point, her husband quickly yanked his hand out of the back of her pants as she spun around. We made eye contact. She blushed; I blushed. We uttered some quick pleasantries, and my friend and I rode off to chatter about how this perfectly proper teacher wasn’t so proper after all.
When I saw her in class on Monday, it was awkward as heck for me. I assume for her, too, because she got even more prickly than normal with me after that. To make matters worse, my tenth-grade year, Mrs. M__ transferred up to the high school, and I was lucky enough to have her a second time as my math teacher.”