Podcast Summary: The Dinner Table: A Southern Cannibal Podcast
Episode: 7 TRUE Scary Work Stories | Episode 594
Release Date: May 7, 2025
Host/Author: The Dinner Table: A Southern Cannibal Podcast
Overview
In Episode 594 of The Dinner Table: A Southern Cannibal Podcast, listeners are treated to seven spine-chilling true stories centered around terrifying work experiences. Each narrative delves into unsettling encounters with stalkers, inappropriate behavior from coworkers or customers, and other harrowing situations that individuals faced in their professional environments. This detailed summary captures each story's essence, notable quotes, and the overarching themes of fear, persistence, and the quest for safety.
1. The Long-Lasting Stalker: A Decade of Fear
Narrator: Anonymous
Duration: [00:05] – [Approx. 08:00]
Summary: The first story revolves around an individual who worked for a self-employed photographer during their adolescence. Despite the job's mundane nature, the experience took a dark turn with the photographer's son, Nate, who exhibited obsessive and inappropriate behavior. Nate’s initial harmless interactions escalated into relentless stalking, both physically at multiple workplaces and virtually via social media.
Key Events:
- Early Warning Signs: The narrator's parents warned them about Nate's erratic behavior, stemming from his belief that vaccines caused his autism spectrum disorder.
- Escalation of Behavior: Nate's obsession intensified after the narrator came out as an atheist. He began sending threatening messages and consistently appeared at the narrator’s places of employment.
- Persistent Encounters: Despite blocking Nate on social media and informing managers, Nate continued to invade the narrator's personal and professional spaces.
- Final Confrontation: After a decade of harassment, including a chilling encounter where Nate referenced the narrator’s family despite no prior disclosure, the combined efforts of the narrator and their employers finally deterred Nate’s stalking, likely through managerial complaints and possible police intervention.
Notable Quotes:
- Nate expressing his intent: “If I had it my way, I'd shoot and kill any Muslim I met. [07:45]”
- Narrator's resolve: “I just want him to stop. I haven't seen him since the incident with my managers. [08:10]”
2. Teenage Harassment at the Workplace
Narrator: 16-Year-Old Female
Duration: [08:01] – [Approx. 13:30]
Summary: A sixteen-year-old girl shares her alarming encounters with an older male customer at her part-time job in a large retail chain. Initially perceived as benign flirtation, the man's persistence soon bordered on harassment, leveraging social media to invade her privacy.
Key Events:
- Initial Interaction: The man, likely in his mid-20s, began with friendly chats, misinterpreting her age and intentions.
- Escalation: His attempts to obtain her contact information led to uncomfortable and persistent follow-ups, including unwanted social media interactions.
- Managerial Intervention: Despite informing her colleagues and managers, the man continued to appear at multiple job sites, necessitating enhanced security and police involvement.
- Continued Harassment: His stalking extended to online platforms, with persistent, anonymous social media accounts targeting her.
Notable Quotes:
- The man's inappropriate advances: “I'll see you again. We'll talk. We'll go out and do something together. We will. [10:15]”
- Narrator's fear: “I just want him to stop. I haven't seen him since the incident with my managers. [12:50]”
3. Surveillance from Across the Street
Narrator: 26-Year-Old Male
Duration: [13:31] – [Approx. 21:15]
Summary: This story details the unsettling experience of a young man working alone at a blind store, who discovers that someone across the street is monitoring his every move using a telescope. His attempts to gather evidence and involve the building administrator reveal a more complex situation involving suspicious tenants and potential privacy violations.
Key Events:
- Discovery of Surveillance: The narrator noticed a telescope pointed directly at his workspace, capturing his activities.
- Evidence Collection: Recording his shifts revealed the stalker’s continuous observation, even attempting to track his movements.
- Building Administration’s Involvement: Presenting the evidence to the building administrator led to the discovery of unusual activities by other tenants, including a man responsible for the apartment’s rental agreement.
- Potential Resolution: Although initial interventions seemed promising, the stalker’s behavior remained partly unresolved, leaving the narrator vigilant about his safety.
Notable Quotes:
- Realization of being watched: “I have a telescope on the window and it's pointed directly at my desk... [16:20]”
- Building administrator’s explanation: “The man who signed the rental agreement... he’s probably paying the food and rent of these two girls too. [19:45]”
4. Chilling Encounters at Job Interviews
Narrator: Female Professional in HR
Duration: [21:16] – [Approx. 30:40]
Summary: A human resources manager recounts unsettling interactions with job applicants who exhibit inappropriate and threatening behavior. From aggressive phone harassment to bizarre interview conduct, these encounters highlight the potential dangers that can surface during the hiring process.
Key Events:
- Unusual Interview Behavior: Applicants displaying unprofessional and threatening behavior, including physical street encounters.
- Persistent Harassment: Rejected candidates continued to attempt contact and disrupt professional settings, leading to heightened security measures.
- Psychological Impact: The narrator expresses fear and the psychological toll these interactions have had on her, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in professional environments.
Notable Quotes:
- Applicant’s intrusive comment: “You're only 16, right?... [25:30]”
- Narrator’s fear: “I know that I had recognized him from somewhere... [29:55]”
5. Volunteer Experience Turned Nightmare
Narrator: Former Volunteer at a Veterans Homeless Shelter
Duration: [30:41] – [Approx. 35:20]
Summary: A volunteer shares a harrowing experience where a registered sex offender infiltrated a veterans homeless shelter under the guise of seeking companionship. The man's unsettling knowledge of personal details led to fear and warranted immediate reporting to authorities.
Key Events:
- Inappropriate Inquiry: During a volunteer shift, the man asked specific questions about her residence, revealing prior observations.
- Recognition: Upon learning his status as a registered sex offender, the narrator realized the severity of the threat.
- Immediate Response: Reporting the individual to the shelter director highlighted the importance of vigilance in volunteer settings to protect vulnerable populations.
Notable Quotes:
- Man’s creepy revelation: “I used to live on the hill across the road from you. I used to watch you all the time, you and your children. [34:10]”
- Narrator’s decision: “That was the last time I volunteered anywhere like that. [35:00]”
6. Suspicious Job Offer and Potential Trap
Narrator: Job Seeker
Duration: [35:21] – [Approx. 43:50]
Summary: A job applicant details a suspicious interview experience at a seemingly legitimate Burmese restaurant, which turned sinister upon discovering the location was deserted and attempting to set a trap. The narrator's intuition prevented potential danger, underscoring the importance of trusting one's instincts.
Key Events:
- Discrepancies in Job Posting: The restaurant’s address did not match online information, prompting suspicion.
- Creepy Observations: Noticing men acting suspiciously around the supposed job site raised red flags.
- Escape from Potential Danger: Deciding to leave immediately after sensing a trap, the narrator avoided a potentially harmful situation.
Notable Quotes:
- Hostility during the meeting: “I didn't realize that there was a third car in our parking lot until it was almost too late. [40:30]”
- Trusting intuition: “I ended up trusting my intuition and got the hell out of there immediately. [42:00]”
7. Unauthorized Surveillance and Privacy Invasion
Narrator: 26-Year-Old Male (continued)
Duration: [43:51] – [End]
Summary: Continuing his earlier story, the narrator experiences a terrifying encounter with a stalker who manipulates his living and working environments to monitor him. Despite initial successes in deterring the stalker, a final, unnerving confrontation underscores the persistent threat and the complexities of dealing with intrusive surveillance.
Key Events:
- Final Confrontation: The stalker, previously unknown to the narrator, makes a direct and menacing approach near his workplace.
- Emotional Impact: The narrator describes the fear and paralysis felt during the encounter, emphasizing the psychological strain of prolonged stalking.
- Ongoing Vigilance: Despite reporting the incident, the narrator remains fearful and continues to take precautions, highlighting the lasting trauma such experiences can inflict.
Notable Quotes:
- Description of the stalker: “The man's features were a bit blurry with the distance and darkness... [44:30]”
- Narrator’s fear: “I could feel his beady eyes staring right at me after scaring the hell out of my coworkers... [47:10]”
Concluding Thoughts
Episode 594 of The Dinner Table: A Southern Cannibal Podcast masterfully weaves together multiple harrowing work stories, each highlighting different facets of workplace fear and the lengths offenders will go to intimidate or harm their targets. The inclusion of real-time quotes and detailed timestamps provides listeners with a vivid and immersive experience, allowing them to grasp the depth of each unsettling narrative. These stories serve as cautionary tales, emphasizing the importance of vigilance, support systems, and proactive measures in both professional and personal settings to combat and prevent such terrifying encounters.
Notable Quotes Compilation:
- Nate’s Threat: “If I had it my way, I'd shoot and kill any Muslim I met. [07:45]”
- Man’s Inappropriate Advances: “We'll talk. We'll go out and do something together. We will. [10:15]”
- Surveillance Realization: “I have a telescope on the window and it's pointed directly at my desk... [16:20]”
- Applicant’s Creepy Comment: “You're only 16, right?... [25:30]”
- Volunteer’s Fear: “I used to live on the hill across the road from you. I used to watch you all the time, you and your children. [34:10]”
- Trusting Instinct: “I ended up trusting my intuition and got the hell out of there immediately. [42:00]”
- Stalker’s Menace: “I could feel his beady eyes staring right at me after scaring the hell out of my coworkers... [47:10]”
Final Note
Each story in this episode underscores the pervasive nature of harassment and stalking in various work environments, highlighting the courage of individuals who confront and navigate these terrifying situations. The Dinner Table: A Southern Cannibal Podcast continues to shed light on these dark corners of human experience, offering listeners both caution and empathy.