Creepy Things That Seem Real But Aren’t is a series that explores modern urban legends, bringing you a new tale each week.
In January of 2006 in New York, a psychiatric patient drew a picture of a face. The face is male, and he has beady eyes, bushy eyebrows, thin lips, and a receding hairline. He looks homely and a little odd, but also amiable and kind. The patient told her psychiatrist that this man has been repeatedly appearing in her dreams, and that he often offers her advice concerning the goings-on of her private life. She swears that she has never met the man before in her life. The portrait remains on the psychiatrist’s desk. Later, another patient spots it and says that the man has often appeared in his dreams, as well. This patient also swears that he has never met the man before in real life. Intrigued by this strange correlation, the psychiatrist sends a copy of the portrait to a handful of colleagues to see what they make of it. Within a few months, these colleagues report back that they, too, have had patients recognize the man and identify him as a regular player in their dreams. Since his first documented appearance in 2006, at least 2,000 people worldwide have claimed to have seen the man in their dreams. Invariable, they all refer to him as THIS MAN. More »
