So, was I the only person who identified with the stranger?
Midway through the story, I thought the stranger's stare would cause Adam to lose his ability to do his work competently, which would make him lose his job and would basically ruin his life. But during the time the stranger was staring, his internal monologue might have been something like: is that Bob? It's hard to tell without his signature glasses. He might have switched to contacts, though. If that is Bob, he's put on some weight. Lost some hair, too. Of course, it has been six years. But no, that guy's nose isn't quite--oh, wait, he's staring at me now. Does he recognize me? Maybe it is Bob after all. No, wait, Bob had that scar over his left eye, and this guy doesn't. Yeah, definitely not Bob. Which means the stranger could have completely ruined Adam's life without realizing it. Which made me wonder: how many times have I done the same thing?