Close encounters of the weird kind can be unsettling

In the summer of 2008 I enrolled in a German language class in Berlin. The school was a 40-minute ride by tram from where I lived. To save on travel expenses and to get some exercise, I bought a used bicycle at a flea market.

It turned out to be too small for me and the saddle was uncomfortable. After two weeks of torture I decided to sell it. An hour after posting an ad on a website, my phone rang.

The caller inquired about the condition, size and price of the bicycle. Her voice sounded so familiar, like that of an old schoolmate. We agreed on the time and place to meet and complete the transaction. Then she randomly asked: "How tall are you?"