Thursday Thirteen: Stranger Than Fiction

Because honestly? Ideas for stories ABOUND from real life. You just have to pay attention.

But never mind that – who has time to pay attention? Let me point you to some wacky real-life stories:

(Pst. Listen up National Novel Writing Month participants – I’m offering all sorts of bizarre story ideas here. Don’t say I didn’t try to help you come up with something! 😀 )

1. Train misses drunken teen napping on track

PARIS (Reuters) – A drunk French teenager narrowly escaped death on Sunday after falling asleep on a railway track and slumbering undisturbed as a high-speed train roared over him, police said.

2. Kids send Marcus the lamb to slaughter

LONDON (Reuters) – A group of schoolchildren who reared a lamb from birth and named it Marcus has overridden objections by parents and rights activists and voted to send the animal to slaughter.

3. Body Worlds plans cadaver show dedicated to sex

ZURICH (Reuters) – German anatomists plan a new show dedicated solely to dead bodies having sex as part of the Body Worlds exhibitions.

4. Notre Dame sues ex-worker over $29,000 tip

INDIANAPOLIS – A woman who worked catering events for the University of Notre Dame says it was her lucky day when the school tipped her $29,000 in her check. But now the university is suing to get back the money she says she’s already spent.

5. Kansas couple’s trash bin tryst takes wrong turn

WICHITA, Kan. – A tender moment in a trash bin went all wrong for a couple who found themselves being held up at pocket knifepoint. Police said two 44-year-olds had climbed into a dumpster to be alone just after 6 p.m. Saturday when two men interrupted them and demanded their belongings. Officers said the man and woman were engaged in “an intimate moment” when they were robbed of their shoes, jewelry and the man’s wallet.

6. Execution fails over inmate’s unsuitable veins

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Executioners couldn’t find a suitable vein in which to inject drugs to kill a 53-year-old murderer, who then got a one-week reprieve from the governor so Ohio prison officials can figure out what to do.

7. Deputy goes to wrong home, finds different suspect

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – A northeast Tennessee deputy sheriff who went to the wrong house came back with his man anyway. The incident occurred Friday evening when Carter County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Barnett responded to a domestic disturbance call, but mistakenly knocked on the door of the wrong house.

8. Man allegedly asks guests to leave with shotgun

ATHENS, Tenn. – An Athens man was accused of pointing a shotgun at visitors in his home in order to get them to leave. The man, 74 was charged with three counts of aggravated assault. He’s been released on $30,000 bond.

9. Ill. teacher accused of giving girls alcohol, pot

FOX LAKE, Ill. – A northern Illinois teacher faces felony charges after allegedly giving two teenage girls marijuana, alcohol and prescription drugs in exchange for work around her home. Kym Krocza was arrested Tuesday on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She is free on bond.

10. Snuggie shows new styles at NY Fashion Week

NEW YORK – All the big names came out for New York Fashion Week: Marc. Vera. Snuggie. Yes, Snuggie — the blanket with sleeves — staged a runway show on Tuesday, complete with high-fashion models and a new “urban jungle” line of zebra and leopard prints.

11. Man honored for 50 years of service at McDonald’s

CRESTWOOD, Mo. – A 68-year-old man who still works at the first McDonald’s restaurant in Missouri has been honored for 50 years of service. Leonard Rhomberg began his job at a McDonald’s restaurant in the St. Louis suburb of Crestwood in 1959, the year after it opened. And he still works there five days a week.

12. 107-year-old Malaysian woman seeks 23rd hubby

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – A 107-year-old Malaysian woman says she is ready to marry for the 23rd time because she fears her current drug addict husband might leave her for a younger woman, a report said Monday.

13. Wisconsin dad, son excel at cricket-spitting

MARSHFIELD, Wis. – Brian Johnsrud spat a thawed cricket 22 feet, 8 inches at the Central Wisconsin State Fair on Saturday. Minutes later, his son Jared shot his cricket 10 feet, 5 inches to win the 9-to-11 age division.

I adore these weird news stories because honestly, they are a writer’s dream – talk about strange and fascinating ideas – and they’re true!!

Which story did you find the most interesting/disturbing?

I’ll be writing a fictionalized account of one of the above stories very soon. Can you guess which one it’ll be?

Stay tuned …