(I’m chatting online with a good friend whom I’ve only met in person once, although we do communicate daily. She’s been telling me about a recent trip to Orlando, Florida and how much she loved it and wants to go back. We are both huge Harry Potter fans.)

Friend: “So, I might have to take a week-long vacation in February because I’ll have four weeks-ish of time saved by then and it’s use it or lose it come April 1st. So I was thinking… of taking you to Hogwarts for a few days. What do you say? I’m 95% sure I can bankroll the whole thing.”

Me: “That sounds awesome, actually.”

(At first I think our plotting is more wishful thinking than reality. With the high cost of a week-long vacation I think it’s too much for my friend to afford. But as we discuss the logistics of such an adventure I realize she’s completely serious. Before I know it everything’s booked.)

Friend: “I’ll buy you your [interactive] wand, too.”

(I make sure to thank my friend profusely. I’ve been unemployed for several years (despite efforts to find work) so I don’t have much cash for expensive trips. If not for her massive generosity in “kidnapping” me I’d likely never get to visit Hogwarts.)

(I’m sitting next to a small family in a workshop. There’s a little girl that keeps asking her dad to tell her stories. He obliges, telling stories that become increasingly more and more far-fetched, and he is clearly struggling to think of new ideas. Eventually he comes up with this gem:)

Father: “Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a princess.”

Daughter: “What was her name?”

Father: “Leia. And she had a twin brother named Luke. And they had two bots named R2D2 and C3PO.”

Daughter: *jumping up and down* “R2D2! R2D2!”

(While taking a printing class in college, I screen-print a black hoodie with the “N7” logo of a popular video game franchise. It quickly becomes one of my favorite hoodies to wear.)

Cashier: “I’ll take whoever’s next!” *sees my hoodie* “Oh my gosh, that. Is. Awesome. Where did you get that?”

Me: “I’m an art student… I made it.”

Cashier: “That’s so awesome!”

(The transaction continues as normal until:)

Cashier: “Here’s your receipt. Thank you for shopping with us, Commander Shepard!”

Me: “And thank YOU. This IS my favorite store on the Citadel!”

My husband and I are at a local theme park for their yearly Halloween event, which includes “haunted” houses, areas set up as themed scare zones, and employees dressed as various monsters running around in “hordes.” I’m waiting outside the bathroom for my husband at one point, when I’m suddenly surrounded by a group of about a dozen or more yelling, howling employees dressed as zombies. I’m genuinely startled and almost leap out of my skin.

Suddenly, one of the “zombies” points at the Star Trek logo on my shirt and begins loudly hooting and growling. He throws up his hand, making the well-known Vulcan hand sign for “Live long and prosper.” All the other “zombies” do the same, clearly excited, before they turn and run off back into the rest of the park, howling and waving the Vulcan sign in the air.

Husband: *having just come out of the bathroom and caught the tail end* “What the h*** was that?!”

Me: *mildly dazed* “The single most surreal moment of my life?”

This story is part of our Haunted Houses roundup!

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Read the Haunted Houses roundup!

(My boyfriend is playing an online game with some of his friends and I’m on my computer browsing Pinterest. I catch part of their conversation: apparently, they’ve started talking about their girlfriends. Neither of us are particularly romantic.)

Boyfriend: *to his friends* “Yeah, my girlfriend is awesome. She loves to cook, helps me keep the house clean, and she crochets some really awesome stuff. She’s actually looking for crochet patterns right now.”

(He listens to his friends for a moment then laughs.)

Boyfriend: “No, dude, you don’t understand: she doesn’t just make hats and gloves like your grandma. I mean, yeah, she made me an awesome R2-D2 hat but she also made me the Enterprise.” *pause* “Yeah, THAT Enterprise. It’s sitting on a shelf in our living room.” *pause* “She’s definitely a keeper. In fact, hey, [Best Friend], would you be my best man?”

(I turn to give him an incredulous look but can’t help laughing.)

Me: “Really?”

Boyfriend: *pulls off his headset and turns to face me* “So, how about we get married on Halloween next year? That’s your favorite holiday, isn’t it? I figure we could do The Nightmare Before Christmas for the theme since it’s your favorite thing ever.”

Me: *laughing* “Sure, let’s do it. Let’s get married on Halloween. I’ll make a Pinterest board for it and start saving ideas.”

(He claps once then turns back to his game and puts his headset back on.)

Boyfriend: “Okay, so, save the date, [Best Friend]. We’re getting married on October 31, 2016 and you’re going to be my best man.” *pause* “Yes, she agreed.” *pause* “No, she wasn’t mad. You guys just don’t understand her like I do.”

This story is part of our Proposals roundup! This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might enjoy!

10 Sweet Stories About People Who Don’t Deserve A Free Dessert

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Read the Proposals roundup!