A mourner is winning fans online for how they handled an elderly woman who apparently "funeral-crashes" in search of free food and drinks.
According to the mourner, aka Mysterious_Music_676 on Reddit this week, their family gathered at a church-owned facility following the funeral service for their grandmother.
Guests were quietly mourning when a "little old lady" arrived uninvited, the original poster (OP) told Redditors.
Helped Herself
Claiming she was there for a regularly scheduled community meeting, she was told politely that the meeting would not start for another hour and was asked to leave.
Instead of departing, the woman reportedly lingered in the hallway and entered the kitchen, attempting to help herself to coffee and sandwiches prepared for the mourners.
"You can't just sneak around at funerals where you don't belong," the OP wrote, recalling their confrontation with the woman as she tried to exit with the food.
After being escorted out, she reportedly returned twice before finally leaving when confronted again.
'Just a mooch'
The family alerted the priest, who disclosed that the woman was "just a mooch" with a reputation.
"She has been known to crash events to access free food," the priest told the OP.
"She plays the role of a confused old lady when caught, but she knows exactly what she's doing."
He clarified that the woman is mentally sound, mobile and not in financial distress, adding that he has had to warn her about her behavior in the past.
Behavioral experts suggest that such actions may stem from certain personality traits.
According to an article by Eliza Hartley on Global English Editing, entitlement and a disregard for others' boundaries are common traits in individuals who exhibit obnoxious behavior as they age.
The report notes that these tendencies may result in manipulative or socially inappropriate actions, often justified by a self-centered worldview.
'Despicable'
Reddit reactions to the story revealed a mix of amusement and frustration, with several users indicating that "despicable" funeral-crashing was more common than some may believe.
An individual commented, "This is crazy—in some way, it's kind of funny, but also so disrespectful and infuriating."
Another added, "If I ever live to old age, I will abuse the old age card so much. Can't wait."
However, a fellow user said that when their mother died, the church had a dinner in the community building and even announced it in a newspaper, adding, "Nobody minded if strangers showed up."
The episode has drawn attention to how community spaces like churches balance being welcoming with protecting the sanctity of solemn gatherings.
As the OP concluded, "If I wasn't so irritated with her, I could almost respect the hustle."
Newsweek has contacted Mysterious_Music_676 comment via Reddit.
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