I'm a click-bait story. And it's weird.

[mathnerd]

Three and a half years ago I submitted a story to Not Always Right and they published it. Many of you will remember it. It's this one:

https://notalwaysright.com/not-all-k...ng-armor/24174

Yesterday and today my text messages, private messages on various forums and Facebook messenger have been blowing up with people telling me that they've seen the story pop up on their Facebook feeds, with links to various click bait sites like hrtwarming, geekfill, and tickld.

This is a really strange feeling. I've read some of those stories and thought to myself that they were sweet, but couldn't possibly be true. Now I have to wonder how many people all over the world are thinking the same thing about my story. It's a strange sort of mental disconnect. I know a lot of those stories aren't true, but I feel bad because now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that some of them are true. Strange feeling indeed.

[prjkt]

I remember reading this story and thinking of your situation, not realising that it was actually you!

(I think I've made this statement before somewhere...)

And it does strike me as along the lines of those typical clickbait stories... but at least it's on the edge of believable - others... not so much.

[Akasa]

It would be weird to see your story pop up everywhere.

[RootedPhoenix]

*hugs*

I'm glad those guys were there for you. And I am sure that I'd be weirded out by being a click-bait story, thus the hugs. <3

(Also because that elderly guy was really mean.)

[Jester]

Just in the last week or two, I saw a story pop up that was awfully familiar, because it was an actual story from a bar down here. Of course, the story was reworked a bit in the version I saw, but since I know the actual bartender from the actual story, and used to actually work at that bar, I saw right through the rewrite, and commented on it, speaking of the real story's providence.

[mathnerd]

Just in the last week or two, I saw a story pop up that was awfully familiar, because it was an actual story from a bar down here. Of course, the story was reworked a bit in the version I saw, but since I know the actual bartender from the actual story, and used to actually work at that bar, I saw right through the rewrite, and commented on it, speaking of the real story's providence.

That had to be amusing since you know the actual people involved.

ETA: At least in my case, the click-bait sites are reprinting it word for word from my original Not Always Right submission, though at least one site had a summary that assumed my vehicle was a specialty van. It wasn't. It was a Honda Civic. Fun times. I can't tell you how much easier life is now that I have a mini-van.

[Kogarashi]

And it does strike me as along the lines of those typical clickbait stories... but at least it's on the edge of believable - others... not so much.

Tell me about it. I see stories on that site that I frequently think, "No way this can be true. It's just too serendipitous." I remember reading this one and didn't think that at all. Strange as some of the stories might be, they still have enough of an element of truth to them that I don't bat an eye, while others just work out way too well to be realistic, or even get details just off enough that I can't really believe it.

[Jester]

Th click-bait story I saw on Facebook, but have no idea where it went, went something like this (though this is the original story, as I know the bartender in question), and have known the story for as long or longer than I've been on here or Facebook...

Visibly and obviously way too drunk guy wanders into the bar. Bartender sees him, immediately realizes the drunk's condition, and decides to head him off at the pass. He goes up to him and says, "Buddy, I'm sorry, but you're way too drunk to be in here." The drunk slurs, "Ohhkaay," turns around, and walks back out the way he came in.

He then walks around the bar a bit, and walks back into the bar via a second entrance a few moments later. The bartender sees him, immediately recognizes the drunk, rolls his eyes, and goes up to the drunk. "Buddy, I told you already, you're too drunk to be here. Go home. I'll call you a cab if you want." The drunk peers into the bartender's eyes, pauses a moment, and slurs, "Noo, it'sh awll goood." And leaves via the second entrance.

He then walks around the outside of the bar a bit futures, and re-enters the bar through a third entrance. The bartender can't believe it. "Look, pal, I've told you twice already, you can't be here." The drunk stops, stares hazily at the bartender for several moments, than says, "Jusst hoow manny bars do yoou work at, anyway?"



If you've a seen a similar story floating around on Facebook lately, just know that a former coworker of mine was the intrepid bartender, and while it was originally told to me with the owner of the bar being the star of the story, by another of the bar staff, my friend the bartender corrected me when I asked him if he had been there that day. "Damn straight I was here, Jester. It was ME that told that moron to leave. [Owner] wasn't even here that day!"

[Kogarashi]

I've encountered that story before, Jester. I always thought it was too perfect a setup for a joke and dismissed it for that reason. Rather surreal to find out it's true.

[fma_fanatic]

It's entirely possible it showed up on reddit too. Things do get reposted ad nauseum there, especially when a new user discovers reddit and has to post something like this right away without realizing it's been posted a dozen times already. Since most reddit users are on facebook too it doesn't take long for stuff like this to circulate again.

[Jester]

I've encountered that story before, Jester. I always thought it was too perfect a setup for a joke and dismissed it for that reason. Rather surreal to find out it's true.

Surreal from my end, too....to have a story I've known about for years suddenly become internet fodder that most people dismiss as a joke because it couldn't possibly happen like that. Except, in Key West, the impossible for the rest of the world is Tuesday for us.