22-year-old bookstore worker thought the 35-year-old she often helped was just friendly — until her boss noticed he knew something he shouldn’t
Stalking usually starts with someone who seems a little too friendly, or a little too persistent, and by the time the pattern becomes clear, the discomfort is already inexplicable. Kaelin recalled an incident from the time she was 22 and had just started working at a bookstore. She first noticed a 35-year-old man repeatedly asking her to help him find books. Sharing on August 16, 2026, on her page, @whatsinthekoolaid on TikTok, she said he seemed polite and chatty, and she thought nothing of it. It felt normal until a casual chat with her manager revealed a concerning detail.
At first, the man would come in and ask for help finding a certain book. This was part of Kaelin's duty, and so she obliged. Soon, he began following her around the store, and even started chatting with her. One time, he even handed her a piece of paper with her name written in calligraphy. Though she found it odd, she brushed it off as a casual gift. When she mentioned it to her boss, she learned something surprising. The manager asked how he knew her last name, since her name tag only showed her first name. It hadn't crossed her mind earlier, and it left her terrified. She later realized the books he asked her about were never purchased. He'd leave them scattered around the store, making her clean up his mess. He wasn't a paying customer.
The situation escalated when he left her a black coffee and a lemon loaf with a note in calligraphy, despite never being told about her schedule. When she refused it, he kept reiterating that they were not strangers, but friends. He asked her if they could hang out together. She declined, saying she was busy. "We don't have to hang out outside of your job," he replied. "We'll just hang out here," he said. Her manager had already taken note of the situation, and when she spotted them together, she intervened. She sent her away and confronted the man. The woman told him that he was making her uncomfortable and needed to stop. The boss told him that the next time he pestered her, it would count as trespassing and cops would be called.
She expected the ordeal to end, but two and a half hours later, as Kaelin clocked out, she realized he had been waiting outside all afternoon. She ran to her car and drove away. That night, he posted a 2-star review of the store, calling the manager "irritable and rude." He never came back. Questionable behavior and patterns must be called out, and observation, along with astuteness, is important while dealing with such stalkers. Another woman shared a similar experience, revealing that a stalker followed her on the street. Out of fear, she walked into a store, but he walked right behind her. After getting aggressive, he was asked to leave, but kept hovering outside. She had a "gut feeling he hadn't left" when a staff member found him hiding further down the street. After being told he'd boarded a bus and left, another shopper offered to walk her home, staying by her side the entire way.
For more content on lifestyle, you can follow @whatsinthekoolaid on TikTok.