So recently, a family has moved into a little old house right outside my parents' subdivision. They seem to be very quiet, and the neighborhood has only seen them outside of their house when they are driving to or from the house... except for (who I assume to be) their son. The thing is, the son is a bit... off. His behavior is odd, but it's in a way that I can't decide whether he's just a harmless weirdo, autistic, or if this is someone we need to watch out for... Especially after something that occurred while I was home visiting my parents from college this past weekend...
A quick description of the young man: he is very tall, very thin, very pale, with blue eyes and almost-white blond hair. I'd estimate his age to be somewhere in between 18-24. He wears mismatched, baggy, dirty clothing and his facial expression never seems to change. It's always this intense, concentrated, look that seems to bore a hole into you when he looks at you.
His behavior at first was just kinda odd, but lately it's been getting more and more unsettling. He often stands on the porch for hours (just standing there), and as you walk by him, he will follow you with his eyes in that same glassy stare... as if he's not watching a human, but watching an insect walking across a windowpane. If you wave to him or try to say hello, he just continues staring at you. When he isn't just sitting on the porch, he is in the front yard doing what seems to be some form of martial art and seems to enjoy punching the tree in the front yard. Okay, so what? you may say... well, here's where it begins to get unsettling.
The other night, as we were settling down to bed, we noticed from the window the young man coming down the street, wearing his trademark gray hoodie pulled over his head (concealing his face). This is the first time we had ever seen him leave his family's property, and my sister and I noticed that he was methodically stepping into other people's yards and pacing back and forth within them... after doing this in a few yards, he went back to his own house and proceeded to sit on his porch for about an hour afterward.
Then came what is really worrying us. On Saturday afternoon, my mother was taking a walk just outside of the neighborhood, and was just passing their house when none other than the young weirdo comes shambling very slowly down his driveway. He has his hoodie pull over his head and his head hung lowly, with both of his hands in his pockets. Mom picked up her pace a bit to get by him quickly, and past by him. A few seconds later, she looked behind, and he was bolting toward her, his hands still in his pockets. Mom started to run, and as soon as she reached the subdivision entrance, he- now very close behind her- abruptly changed direction and took off into a nearby field and then into the woods next to the field. What the fuck.
So I'm not sure what to think. His odd anti-social behavior (blank stare, refuses to speak to anyone) and repetitive motions (the faux karate, pacing back and forth) seem to indicate that maybe he's possibly autistic, but his night-time behavior and his running toward my mother makes me wonder if we should be concerned for his presence in our neighborhood.
>>1 For me the best solution is to have a talk with his parents. Explain what you have observed, and tell them that you find it very unsettling. They may provide you with explanation and background.
This could help resolve a lot of issues, and think about how to approach the young guy.
Now if the parents just refuse contact, then you may want to have a conversation with the police for some advice on the matter. In any case, let us know how you fare, it's an interesting case, but I would refrain for now of calling him a psychopath ^_^
Harmless idiot, mental disorder, or anything else? Confront the family. Dunno what to tell you, but that its a funny story.
Hey ma! Gather them pitchforks and torches outta the barn! That there neighbor boy is weirdly-lookin' and diff'rent behavin'.
woooo... scaaaaaary
Maybe he just likes to fuck with people's minds. If that is the case his approach is quite hilarious.
Trolling IRL
OP here
That's actually an option we're considering, except something strange did happen, although I think it essentially answered my question.
My dad went over to the house to speak with Hoodie Kid's parents. He knocked on the door, and the father of the house answered the door. My father said "Hey there, I'm ________, your neighbor a couple of houses down. How are you today?"
Hoodie Kid's father just stood there for a second, shifted his eyes back and forth, and then slammed the door and locked it.
My verdict? Harmless weirdos.
>My verdict? Harmless weirdos.
Yep, with those kind of parents, you wold expect some oddness in the boy. Who knows, with some time he may come to socialize more with the neighborhood.