I Don't Even Know Where to Start or how to react

[Misschief]

You may, or may not, know that I work in a print shop. For the past 7 or 8 years, I've had a customer who is a little, shall we say, off the beam? He was trained as an RCMP officer, and is a non-practicing lawyer, who has been in psychiatric care numerous times over the years. He has several lawsuits pendng against the Prime Minister of Canada as well as members of the medical community and other governments. He's been writing to heads of state of numerous countries and claims that his "boyfriend" is a well known son of a recently deceased billionaire who will pay all his bills and purchase numerous high priced properties around our town. He's told me that one of those properties (of my choice) will be for me and those I hold dear. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. He's convinced that the world as we know it is coming to an end very soon due to climate change and is "encouraging" people to stock at least 5 years (minimum) of food and supplies to get through the coming cataclysm.

And I just happen to be one of his favourite people.

Today, he brought me a gift. I am now the proud owner of a ventilator mask, sized for a woman. When we unpacked it after I got home from work, John (my husband) unfolded the storage bag that came with it. The bag was infested with maggots. The mask is of no use to me as I wear glasses. I'm flattered but a little freaked out, too.

I've had my share of crazy customers but this one goes above and beyond. But, hey, I have a ventilator mask.

 

[dibbles]

Oh, my

 

[Catscankim]

Maggots?? Maggots only fester on dead skin, rotten flesh, etc. Why would it have maggots? Take pictures of it and throw it away or give it to the police.

This sounds like a very unstable person and I would not entertain this behavior. Really, it could go bad quick. I work with psych patients (I am not a psych healthcare worker, we just have a psych ward to be clear). They can go from 0-60 in thirty seconds. And they come in all shapes and sizes...many of them have degrees and such. It does not make them any less dangerous. Somewhere along the line they snapped. A lot of times they are super smart beyond belief.

I would some how get distance from him. And do not do it by yourself. If it's not drug related (which doesn't sound like your guy is), they are sometimes even more dangerous. I feel so bad for these people. I see a lot of psych pts. I am telling you...seek out a way to get him out of your life.

Think Timothy McVeigh...he was smart.

I keep reading your post over and over. I am serious, this is typical psychopathic behavior. You need to find out his name etc and at least (at the very least) make someone aware. He might be harmless, but might also be dangerous (for cripes sake the song psycho killer by the talking heads just came on the radio). Get his ID for a sale maybe? Make a copy of it if you can, but that might set him off...have someone with you.

I hate to sound paranoid, but this is the kind of stuff that makes news.

 

[lsg]

I would certainly throw the ventilator mask away. The man sounds very disturbed.

 

[KimW]

Oh dear. Yes, I would throw that mask away. There are parts of a ventilator mask that can't be cleaned or even reached with antiseptic, so it's no good to give it to someone who it might fit.

I had the exact same thought as catscankim - maggots only survive on flesh (and untanned skin). What is that bag made out of? Crazy thought - I wonder if taking that bag to the police, or a taxidermist, to figure out the material of that bag would be in order...?

 

[Obsidian]

Probably not maggots, more likely some kind of moth larvae.
I'd clean up the mask and keep it for a conversational piece.

I can understand people being concerned about mentally unbalanced people but its also sad that they automatically assume they are dangerous.
This man is sick and probably isn't being treated. He needs compassion and friends as much as anyone else.

I've had my fair share of unbalanced people in my life, including a paranoid schizophrenic who had vivid hallucinations and frequently carried on conversations with beings that weren't there.

Everyone in town made fun of him, no one ever tried to help or learn his story. It was really sad. I tried my best to help, he was a good guy but he was beyond my reach.

 

[KimW]

Probably not maggots, more likely some kind of moth larvae.
I'd clean up the mask and keep it for a conversational piece.

I can understand people being concerned about mentally unbalanced people but its also sad that they automatically assume they are dangerous.
This man is sick and probably isn't being treated. He needs compassion and friends as much as anyone else.

Very good points, @Obsidian . Thank you so much for the reality and attitude check.
When we lived near DC we ministered to homeless, who are sadly by and large unbalanced. Helpless and harassed, like sheep without a shepherd.

 

[SPowers]

It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side... be cautious!

 

[Misschief]

I keep reading your post over and over. I am serious, this is typical psychopathic behavior. You need to find out his name etc and at least (at the very least) make someone aware. He might be harmless, but might also be dangerous (for cripes sake the song psycho killer by the talking heads just came on the radio). Get his ID for a sale maybe? Make a copy of it if you can, but that might set him off...have someone with you.

I hate to sound paranoid, but this is the kind of stuff that makes news.

Oh, we know who he is. He's been a customer for almost 10 years. We know a lot about him. More than we want to. We have copies of a lot of very personal information about him. As for intelligence, he's very intelligent. At one time, he was legal counsel for the Liberal Party of Canada. He's well known to local law enforcement (not in a bad way) and has been in the psych ward a few times. He's actually suing a few of his previous doctors because of his treatment and the drugs they put him on. He's even suing the government of Canada for not following their own laws.

From everything I've seen over the years, he isn't dangerous. I've seen him go from being unable to even drive because of the drugs (prescribed) he was on, weighing close to 300 lbs to getting is licence back and dropping back down to a much leaner 200 or so lbs. He's told me a lot of his story over the years and some of it is heartbreaking.

They may not have been maggots but definitely bug larvae of some kind. My husband said they were in every fold of the bag.

 

[rdc1978]

You may, or may not, know that I work in a print shop. For the past 7 or 8 years, I've had a customer who is a little, shall we say, off the beam? He was trained as an RCMP officer, and is a non-practicing lawyer, who has been in psychiatric care numerous times over the years. He has several lawsuits pendng against the Prime Minister of Canada as well as members of the medical community and other governments. He's been writing to heads of state of numerous countries and claims that his "boyfriend" is a well known son of a recently deceased billionaire who will pay all his bills and purchase numerous high priced properties around our town. He's told me that one of those properties (of my choice) will be for me and those I hold dear. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. He's convinced that the world as we know it is coming to an end very soon due to climate change and is "encouraging" people to stock at least 5 years (minimum) of food and supplies to get through the coming cataclysm.

And I just happen to be one of his favourite people.

Today, he brought me a gift. I am now the proud owner of a ventilator mask, sized for a woman. When we unpacked it after I got home from work, John (my husband) unfolded the storage bag that came with it. The bag was infested with maggots. The mask is of no use to me as I wear glasses. I'm flattered but a little freaked out, too.

I've had my share of crazy customers but this one goes above and beyond. But, hey, I have a ventilator mask.

It hardly seems generous to give you land that is going to be worthless when the world ends in five years. I'm just saying.

It probably should be sad and he clearly needs some mental help, but I bet he is the most interesting person you get in the shop all week! It takes all types to make the world turn, he sounds more like a letter writer and maybe nuisance lawsuit filer type to me. OR, OR, OR maybe this is all true and you're going to be gifted a fantastic property.

 

[GemstonePony]

Honestly, this sounds like a sweet but unstable/unmedicated BPD individual (like Carrie from the TV show Homeland, but without being right about everything).
If possible, you might look into finding out what the maggots eat, for your own peace of mind. If they're just munching paper and fabric, it's just been in a warehouse for a while.
Seeing as he is trying to save everyone, albeit misguidedly, I don't think he's much more dangerous than the average neurotypical individual, except perhaps to himself.

 

[Misschief]

Oh dear. Yes, I would throw that mask away. There are parts of a ventilator mask that can't be cleaned or even reached with antiseptic, so it's no good to give it to someone who it might fit.

I had the exact same thought as catscankim - maggots only survive on flesh (and untanned skin). What is that bag made out of? Crazy thought - I wonder if taking that bag to the police, or a taxidermist, to figure out the material of that bag would be in order...?

The bag is a ripstop nylon fabric. I'm pretty sure this mask has been sitting around somewhere in a dark corner for a while. The date on the filters is 2019; they're still in the original packaging.

Honestly, this sounds like a sweet but unstable/unmedicated BPD individual (like Carrie from the TV show Homeland, but without being right about everything).
If possible, you might look into finding out what the maggots eat, for your own peace of mind. If they're just munching paper and fabric, it's just been in a warehouse for a while.
Seeing as he is trying to save everyone, albeit misguidedly, I don't think he's much more dangerous than the average neurotypical individual, except perhaps to himself.

I agree with you completely on this. I'm sure the package has just been in a warehouse somewhere for a while. I don't think he's dangerous at all, just a little.... strange.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Maggots?? Maggots only fester on dead skin, rotten flesh, etc. Why would it have maggots? Take pictures of it and throw it away or give it to the police.

This sounds like a very unstable person and I would not entertain this behavior. Really, it could go bad quick. I work with psych patients (I am not a psych healthcare worker, we just have a psych ward to be clear). They can go from 0-60 in thirty seconds. And they come in all shapes and sizes...many of them have degrees and such. It does not make them any less dangerous. Somewhere along the line they snapped. A lot of times they are super smart beyond belief.

I would some how get distance from him. And do not do it by yourself. If it's not drug related (which doesn't sound like your guy is), they are sometimes even more dangerous. I feel so bad for these people. I see a lot of psych pts. I am telling you...seek out a way to get him out of your life.

Think Timothy McVeigh...he was smart.

I couldn't agree more w/ you' This Cray Cray can be very dangerous. @Misschief gather all his personal info you can get' just incase you need to report him one Day. Keep your distance' His behavior towards you can go from you being one of his "Faves" to "Enemy" in a New York Second. Remember the "Hillside Strangler? Brilliant, Educated in Law & Physiology he was a serial killer Psychopath. I'm only judging him on how you described him to be. I could be completely wrong?. Never the less if your "Gut Feeling" says beware of him' listen & take note.

 

[Zing]

Wow. Just wow. I've worked in social services for decades and have seen my share of characters, but this takes the cake. The majority of my clients who are challenged with mental illness -- untreated and cycling through treatment -- are highly intelligent. Sometimes I know their heart-breaking histories that include losing stable jobs, marriages, and children. More often than not, they are at higher risk of being victimized by violence -- not inflicting violence. It sounds like your guy is well-known and has a lot of eyes on him, all the better both for him and your community.
Now I am going to try to un-see that mask!!!

 

[Redglade]

Be cautious, be safe, and be understanding. You do hear about people flipping out all the time, but don't we just love to talk about the negative things more than anything else? Most times, like Zing said, they're the ones at risk of violence, not the cause of it. There was a fella in my hometown that had more than a handful of problems, talking to ghosts, things like that. He had a crush on me for awhile, wanted to stand around where I worked and stare, wanted to ask my parents if I could be his concubine. Like I said, a handful of problems. He was never violent though, just creeped people out. When he went off his meds the cops would be called to take him to the hospital, it would take five or six of them to get him in the car because he would just curl up into the fetal position, and this man was over six feet tall and jacked.
Can't blame you for being a little freaked out over the mask bag, though. Ewww.

 

[cmzaha]

I agree with Obsidian, it sounds like some type larva. Just to be clear, maggots do no just live just on dead flesh, they are fly larvae and can be raised and do live mostly on sources such as fruit and other rotting food. So I would say there is no need to panic just because he is unstable, especially if he has been a customer for so many years.

 

[Relle]

If he's known to local police, take the mask to them ( then chuck it ), explain what went on, they need to know in case something else crops up with other people, if they don't have the info stored about what he's been doing, they can't act on it further down the track. You don't have any idea if others have had problems with him of late and he might need another stint in the psych ward.
Good luck with your property ( better sell before the end of the world ).

 

[Catscankim]

Just this week...

We have a guy who is very well known to our hospital....walk in to the ER Lobby and announced that he has "sexually transmitted corona virus" (funny but not funny)...which set the whole place (patients in the lobby) into a panic...they sent him to our psych ward (which is what he wanted), they let him go because he was a 'regular' and just needed his meds (with which he usually becomes a normal person). He came back as a trauma alert because he jumped in front of a train across the street, then died. We all cried over that, and even sent text messages to coworkers that weren't there that he died. We were just used to his antics.

We had a cute little girl, maybe 20-21 y/o. She just sat there with her sitter and had very calm disconnected conversations that didn't lead any where. She just talked and talked. Got up once in a while to see if she could make a phone call or get into the room that she memorized the code for by watching us walk in the room, because she wanted a ginger ale. In two seconds that her sitter didn't notice because she was so calm and compliant and sweet...she smashed her own head into the wall.

A Psychiatrist that was being treated because the patient that he had been seeing for years (veteran), snapped and beat the crap out of him out of the blue. The Dr. kept saying he didn't understand, there was nothing wrong, he just comes in to talk. "He was harmless"

I went to get a patient for a ct scan. He looked totally normal, dressed in a suit... maybe just needed some help. I figured depression. HARMLESS. I get him to my department and he tells me that he is homicidal. "Why are you here by yourself" he says. I'm like cool as a cucumber (on the outside)..but so is he. Just a weird like you are sitting next to a guy at bar at applebees "I'm homicidal". "Oh don't you worry my friend, the SO is right outside the door." "Oh, ok, just glad you are protected" he says..... And I knew they weren't. I just had to act like I wasn't afraid. I called for our officer to come just in case after I walked behind my glass.

Within the last couple of months we had two nurses in our ER assaulted by perfectly "normal looking" people that were well known to our hospital staff as psych patients that everybody thought were harmless. One of the nurses had a cord wrapped around her neck in triage. And then also one guy hiding in the bathroom that pulled the emergency cord that activates a speaker in the er, saying that he had a gun...also a well known psych patient that was there just for a "med refill". Last year a patient at our local VA, shot a dr in the ER in the neck (Dr was ok).

Perfectly normal looking psych patients snap. These are all patients that are well known to hospital staff, as well as the police. If we haven't seen them in a while, we inquire with the police off the cuff where they are. And sometimes it is news that we don't want to hear.

I was sitting in the er one night on an overnight shift and asked, "where's Solo been?" Sure as **** he shows up about an hour later with his antics LOL. Everybody hissed at me because we were having such a quiet night LOL. He got a bed and three squares...we care about them and worry when we haven't seen them in a while.

I just know how they can snap. Somebody you have seen nearly every day for five years is like baby girl give me a cigarette..."sorry bud, I don't have one for you" and suddenly they want to kill you.

It's sad, I know it is sad. And I know the system is messed up where people aren't getting the help they need.

Just be careful. I have had ppl say that I am the ONLY one they want scanning them, then snap when one little thing went wrong.

 

[Misschief]

Just this week...

We have a guy who is very well known to our hospital....walk in to the ER Lobby and announced that he has "sexually transmitted corona virus" (funny but not funny)...which set the whole place (patients in the lobby) into a panic...they sent him to our psych ward (which is what he wanted), they let him go because he was a 'regular' and just needed his meds (with which he usually becomes a normal person). He came back as a trauma alert because he jumped in front of a train across the street, then died. We all cried over that, and even sent text messages to coworkers that weren't there that he died. We were just used to his antics.

We had a cute little girl, maybe 20-21 y/o. She just sat there with her sitter and had very calm disconnected conversations that didn't lead any where. She just talked and talked. Got up once in a while to see if she could make a phone call or get into the room that she memorized the code for by watching us walk in the room, because she wanted a ginger ale. In two seconds that her sitter didn't notice because she was so calm and compliant and sweet...she smashed her own head into the wall.

A Psychiatrist that was being treated because the patient that he had been seeing for years (veteran), snapped and beat the crap out of him out of the blue. The Dr. kept saying he didn't understand, there was nothing wrong, he just comes in to talk. "He was harmless"

I went to get a patient for a ct scan. He looked totally normal, dressed in a suit... maybe just needed some help. I figured depression. HARMLESS. I get him to my department and he tells me that he is homicidal. "Why are you here by yourself" he says. I'm like cool as a cucumber (on the outside)..but so is he. Just a weird like you are sitting next to a guy at bar at applebees "I'm homicidal". "Oh don't you worry my friend, the SO is right outside the door." "Oh, ok, just glad you are protected" he says..... And I knew they weren't. I just had to act like I wasn't afraid. I called for our officer to come just in case after I walked behind my glass.

Within the last couple of months we had two nurses in our ER assaulted by perfectly "normal looking" people that were well known to our hospital staff as psych patients that everybody thought were harmless. One of the nurses had a cord wrapped around her neck in triage. And then also one guy hiding in the bathroom that pulled the emergency cord that activates a speaker in the er, saying that he had a gun...also a well known psych patient that was there just for a "med refill". Last year a patient at our local VA, shot a dr in the ER in the neck (Dr was ok).

Perfectly normal looking psych patients snap. These are all patients that are well known to hospital staff, as well as the police. If we haven't seen them in a while, we inquire with the police off the cuff where they are. And sometimes it is news that we don't want to hear.

I was sitting in the er one night on an overnight shift and asked, "where's Solo been?" Sure as **** he shows up about an hour later with his antics LOL. Everybody hissed at me because we were having such a quiet night LOL. He got a bed and three squares...we care about them and worry when we haven't seen them in a while.

I just know how they can snap. Somebody you have seen nearly every day for five years is like baby girl give me a cigarette..."sorry bud, I don't have one for you" and suddenly they want to kill you.

It's sad, I know it is sad. And I know the system is messed up where people aren't getting the help they need.

Just be careful. I have had ppl say that I am the ONLY one they want scanning them, then snap when one little thing went wrong.

Warning acknowledged.