The other day I was sat in a local shopping mall waiting to pick up something when an older man walked up to me, placed a piece of paper next to me and quietly walked away. He was around sixty, of medium build with grey hair tied back. He looked clean and respectable from the back, which is all I saw.
Picking up the small piece of paper to examine it, I realised it was in a language I couldn't read...possibly Greek. I stuffed it in my pocket, thinking I'd show hubby when I got home and continued with my day, not giving it a second thought.
Upon showing my hubby it later, I decided to try a friend of mine who might be able to translate it. They told me it wasn't Greek but Russian and they asked a colleague to translate it for me. I expected a crazy ramble or an advert for a restaurant or some such thing, what I didn't expect was this translation...
(A huge thanks goes out to my friend who managed to get it translated.)
Leningradpsho Wavebranchcity Petrokrepostred path 2
Ленинградскоепшо “Волна”Филиалгород петрокрепостькрасный тракт 2
It's an address...yup, an address...in RUSSIA! Apparently, it's the street address of the 'Volna Sewing factory in Petrokrepost, Leningrad province, Russia'.
Freaky and definitely not what you expect to be given in a busy mall, on a Monday, in Canada.
Looking around on the internet, a few others have found these on buses or have been handed them by the grey haired man. So what is it? What does it mean? Does it mean anything? Is it simply a disturbed or senile mind thinking it's making sense or is there more to it?
I have no clue and I think it will probably remain a mystery.
What do you think? :)











Curiouser and curiouser...
ReplyDeleteI have no idea. What a great mystery.
Ha! My verification word is pickle!!
Judy
Today is 29 June 2011, Ottawa, Canada, and I was just approached at 8:45 a.m. on a bus here by this same man who handed this same piece of paper and told me, "You keep this," with a Russian accent.
ReplyDeleteI recognized it immediately as Russian and, having a phonetic knowledge of the language, I began to decipher it as I walked to work. Upon a very short Google search, I found this website. I also found that Volna was the name of one of the first Soviet nuclear submarines, was also the name of a Soviet spacecraft, among other things. Perhaps it's a common name. It's Russian for "wave."
I can't imagine why this old fella is handing them out.
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteI know, I have to force myself not to think about it now because I know it will remain unsolved...lol.
Pickle...hehehe...
Thanks for dropping in. :)
Hello Longtimesailor,
ReplyDeleteHow very odd that he is going around doing this. Yes, I have found that it's a common Russian name too.
It just makes you stop and wonder, doesn't it?
Thanks for taking the time to drop in and comment. :)
very very odd....
ReplyDeletein an odd kinda creepy way.
Hi WyzWmn,
ReplyDeleteYup, very strange indeed.
Thanks for dropping by! :)
Thanks for the sharing of these nice photos - I see that you really had a great time!
ReplyDeleteMoving Companies
it is indeed strange. It looks like a strange movie with extraterrestrials. They give you a strange address and you are expected to get there. So they can examine you and brainwash you. :) Does it sound scary
ReplyDeleteHey Hunter,
ReplyDeleteYup, very strange and I know it is one mystery that will probably never be solved.
Thanks for dropping by. :)
Today is 16.11.11. I was taking 95 bus when this old man gave me this paper and left the bus. I was pretty confused because I'm russian and I'm from Saint-Petersburg( which is ex. Leningrad.) So, i actually had a feeling that it might be related to me somehow, because how would he know I'm russian and I'm from saint-p. Well, at least now I know. If he wouldnt left I would talk to him russian and find out, but it seems like i would never know now.
ReplyDeleteHi Sashka,
ReplyDeleteSo you met him too! You are right, it is a shame he didn't hang about, we could have gotten to the bottom of this. Perhaps you will seeing him again one day and get a chance to find out. If you do, please come back and post any information you can.
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to post. :)
Exact same thing happened to me on a bus in Ottawa. Curiouser and curiouser. A friend who knows Russian pointed me to this site. I'll keep my eye on your blog, and maybe someone will solve said mystery.
ReplyDeleteHello Kae,
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many people have encountered this gentleman and received one of his strange notes.
Thanks for dropping in and taking the time to comment. :)