They say Hollywood and Broadway have exhausted their creative reserves and are now stuck in an endless cycle of remakes and self-quotes. They say screenwriters are on strike, fearing AI will take their jobs, that the human imagination has exhausted itself…
In fact, for new plots, we should turn to the best screenwriter humanity has ever known - life itself. It often surprises us with incredible plot twists we’re completely unprepared for. And here are three dozen stories that confirm this.
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#1
1991, I'm 19, just signed the lease for my first (solo) apartment, just got the first paycheck from my new job, I deposit the paycheck at an ATM (another first! I'd always gone into the bank to do it). Two weeks later, I get my bank statement in the mail, and see with horror I have only $1.87 in my account. Way wrong, I should have at least $200, I'd been very careful with my spending. I'm freaked, I came within $2 of bouncing my first rent check.
I'm literally reaching for the phone to call the bank when the phone rings. It's the police, asking if my ATM card was stolen. I check my wallet and the card is missing (my job at a theater pub came with cash tips so I didn't use the card often), and tell them I was going to call them anyway because I was missing $200 from my account. "Well, we've got your card, and your $200, so come down to the police station," they tell me.
I can't figure out how they have my card AND the cash. Doesn't make sense. I drive down there.
Detective says someone (let's call him Bob) pulled in to use an ATM and saw a man acting suspiciously while he was using it, moving back and forth as if trying to dodge the camera. Bob says the man then left the ATM, got into a car, and drove away at high speeds as if fleeing. Bob then went to the ATM and put his card in, which popped out. Bob then withdrew $200, and then another ATM card popped out. My card. Bob's card had popped out because the crook had left my card in the ATM before speeding away. Bob realized he had withdrawn the money from my account and not his, so he brought my card and the cash to the police and reported the attempted theft.
The detective gives me the description of the crook. According to Bob, it was a man 5'7", brown hair, round gold-rimmed glasses. I say out loud "So, about my height, my color hair, and glasses like mine," before realizing Bob was describing me.
I'd never deposited a check in an ATM before, so I was moving back and forth, following the instructions on the screen, filling out the envelope with my account number, punching the amount in, etc. I then forgot to take my card out and just left because I'm a fool. I drove away at high speeds because I was 19 and that's how I drove everywhere.
Worried the detective might be annoyed, I didn't tell him I was the crook, I just thanked him and left with the money I stole from myself. Somewhere in a box in my closet I still have the police report where I'm both the victim and the perp.
I'm literally reaching for the phone to call the bank when the phone rings. It's the police, asking if my ATM card was stolen. I check my wallet and the card is missing (my job at a theater pub came with cash tips so I didn't use the card often), and tell them I was going to call them anyway because I was missing $200 from my account. "Well, we've got your card, and your $200, so come down to the police station," they tell me.
I can't figure out how they have my card AND the cash. Doesn't make sense. I drive down there.
Detective says someone (let's call him Bob) pulled in to use an ATM and saw a man acting suspiciously while he was using it, moving back and forth as if trying to dodge the camera. Bob says the man then left the ATM, got into a car, and drove away at high speeds as if fleeing. Bob then went to the ATM and put his card in, which popped out. Bob then withdrew $200, and then another ATM card popped out. My card. Bob's card had popped out because the crook had left my card in the ATM before speeding away. Bob realized he had withdrawn the money from my account and not his, so he brought my card and the cash to the police and reported the attempted theft.
The detective gives me the description of the crook. According to Bob, it was a man 5'7", brown hair, round gold-rimmed glasses. I say out loud "So, about my height, my color hair, and glasses like mine," before realizing Bob was describing me.
I'd never deposited a check in an ATM before, so I was moving back and forth, following the instructions on the screen, filling out the envelope with my account number, punching the amount in, etc. I then forgot to take my card out and just left because I'm a fool. I drove away at high speeds because I was 19 and that's how I drove everywhere.
Worried the detective might be annoyed, I didn't tell him I was the crook, I just thanked him and left with the money I stole from myself. Somewhere in a box in my closet I still have the police report where I'm both the victim and the perp.
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3points
#2
I've posted it before, but it seems relevant:
I married a girl who implied she would end herself if she was without me. I hopped on a cavalcade of toxicity and infidelity for 10 years, punctuated with her stints in an institution. I was so stressed out by her that I would literally get heart palpitations before she came home from any of these stays. Luckily, I was bailed out when she fell in love with her best friend and took off. I filed for divorce which took another year because my spiteful ex wanted to punish me by delaying her signature. Borderline Personality Disorder is not fun.
There is a happy ending however. The divorce finally went through, and I decided to take a little in town vacation. I got a nice hotel room and treated myself to an elaborate dinner. When I had finished my fantastic meal I gushed to the waiter that it was the best I'd eve eaten. She told me that the chef was available if I wanted to meet her. Being the Irish gabber that I am, I gladly accepted.
A few minutes later, the chef came to my table and we had what could only be described as a love at first sight moment. I'm not even sure what we said to each other, if anything, at first. I asked if she was free after her shift and we have been together ever since.
I married a girl who implied she would end herself if she was without me. I hopped on a cavalcade of toxicity and infidelity for 10 years, punctuated with her stints in an institution. I was so stressed out by her that I would literally get heart palpitations before she came home from any of these stays. Luckily, I was bailed out when she fell in love with her best friend and took off. I filed for divorce which took another year because my spiteful ex wanted to punish me by delaying her signature. Borderline Personality Disorder is not fun.
There is a happy ending however. The divorce finally went through, and I decided to take a little in town vacation. I got a nice hotel room and treated myself to an elaborate dinner. When I had finished my fantastic meal I gushed to the waiter that it was the best I'd eve eaten. She told me that the chef was available if I wanted to meet her. Being the Irish gabber that I am, I gladly accepted.
A few minutes later, the chef came to my table and we had what could only be described as a love at first sight moment. I'm not even sure what we said to each other, if anything, at first. I asked if she was free after her shift and we have been together ever since.
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3points
#3
Years ago my company was slowly going under so I was looking for other jobs. I got a job with another company and put in my two weeks with my manager.
Me: "I've been offered another job and I'm taking it. I'm putting in my notice."
Manager: "Oh, well we hate to lose you. Do you mind me asking where you will be going?"
Me: "I'm going to [company]."
Manager: "Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit..."
Me: "..."
Manager: "I applied for that position too."
Me: "I'm sorry to tell you that you didn't get it.".
Me: "I've been offered another job and I'm taking it. I'm putting in my notice."
Manager: "Oh, well we hate to lose you. Do you mind me asking where you will be going?"
Me: "I'm going to [company]."
Manager: "Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit..."
Me: "..."
Manager: "I applied for that position too."
Me: "I'm sorry to tell you that you didn't get it.".
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3points
They say that when the great storytellers of old ran out of stories, they changed into simple clothes, went to the nearest tavern, and simply listened to the tales of the folks around them. Fairy tales, legends, rumors, gossip - from these, masterpieces of world literature were born, which we today rightfully consider classics.
But what united all these plots was that their foundation was always real life. Some were utterly whimsical and bizarre, some were incredibly simple and laconic. Because our life is actually like the NBA, “where amazing happens!”
#4
After losing 3 kids to miscarriage and infertility, my wife and I started the process of an adoption. Days after we sent all the final paperwork off to China, we found out my wife was also expecting. Twins.
I now have 3 11 year olds 7 weeks apart in age.
I now have 3 11 year olds 7 weeks apart in age.
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3points
#5
A few years ago I got invited to a friend's engagement party. They were throwing a huge bash because they were planning on a very small destination wedding. Later in the evening, my friend's fiancé takes the mic and starts thanking everyone for being there. "Sorry, Jen will be out to thank you guys in a minute, she's just having a wardrobe malfunction". He goes on to tell the story about how they met, how they were best friends and decided to get engaged and finished along the lines of "we wish you could all be there and that we could get married right now. So we're going to"
Out walks Jen in her wedding dress.
TL;DR: engagement party turned into a surprise wedding.
Out walks Jen in her wedding dress.
TL;DR: engagement party turned into a surprise wedding.
2points
#6
I once had a job interview. It was very early in my career and I was trying to move 500 miles to a new place. I built prototypes and brought samples of my work. It was a 9 hour drive, but everyone seemed so enthusiastic that I figured it was a lock.
I did not get the job.
I found another job in the area and took it.
6 months later they called and asked me to interview for the job above the one I had applied for. I was given an offer on the spot and worked there almost a decade. In the first few months the people there told me the guy who's job I had (who would have been my boss if he hired me initially) had actually said the samples and work I did was beyond him and he didn't want an employee who knew more than him. Well, I guess he doesn't have that problem since they fired him and replaced him with me.
I did not get the job.
I found another job in the area and took it.
6 months later they called and asked me to interview for the job above the one I had applied for. I was given an offer on the spot and worked there almost a decade. In the first few months the people there told me the guy who's job I had (who would have been my boss if he hired me initially) had actually said the samples and work I did was beyond him and he didn't want an employee who knew more than him. Well, I guess he doesn't have that problem since they fired him and replaced him with me.
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2points
Interestingly, the great 20th-century writer Jorge Luis Borges, in his essay “The Four Cycles,” reduced absolutely all plots in world culture to four basic types. The first is the siege of a city, shown from the perspective of either side. The second is the return, the story of the person’s long journey home, or to their roots.
The third plot is the journey, in a broad sense, the search for something material or not, treasure or truth, love or their own sense of life. And finally, the fourth, most majestic plot is the story of a god, a supreme being, self-sacrificing for the sake of redemption or a higher purpose.
And you know what? Borges was basically right - take any plot from the stories we’ve told in this collection, and it fits perfectly into one of the four eternal narratives.
#7
I graduated law, and got engaged to the girl I had been with through university. We both applied for the same graduate program and ended up working in the same office in Canberra.
Three months before our wedding I found out she was cheating on me with our mutual boss, and I broke it off with her. Long story short, it got really, really ugly and the two of us ended up in a very bitter court case over property.
Canberra is a pretty small city and the legal world is pretty [darn] small there, too, and everywhere I went I bumped into my ex. It was beginning to seriously get me down (her too, as it transpired), and I applied for an Australian government overseas development job in Tuvalu, a pacific island with about 11,000 population. It's quite a prestigious job to get, with only two positions offered for a two year contract on a rotating basis.
I was successful in the application and moved on-island to start my posting. To discover that my ex was the other successful applicant.
I spent the next two years sharing a tiny office on a tiny island with the person that I quite honestly loathe more than any other in the world.
Three months before our wedding I found out she was cheating on me with our mutual boss, and I broke it off with her. Long story short, it got really, really ugly and the two of us ended up in a very bitter court case over property.
Canberra is a pretty small city and the legal world is pretty [darn] small there, too, and everywhere I went I bumped into my ex. It was beginning to seriously get me down (her too, as it transpired), and I applied for an Australian government overseas development job in Tuvalu, a pacific island with about 11,000 population. It's quite a prestigious job to get, with only two positions offered for a two year contract on a rotating basis.
I was successful in the application and moved on-island to start my posting. To discover that my ex was the other successful applicant.
I spent the next two years sharing a tiny office on a tiny island with the person that I quite honestly loathe more than any other in the world.
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2points
#8
Met a guy online, he was cool, found out he lived less than 2 hours from where i live.
We meet up. First time seeing each other's actual faces.
real doppelgangers.
Turns out his father is my bio father's older brother. Both our bio dads bailed before we were born. We both were unwillingly touched as kids by teachers (him at 15, me at 13). Both us have soy allergies and Lysinuric Protein Intolerance (its genetic).
and both us joined the army and failed out during BCT due to undiagnosed mental health issues.
Our lives had run parallel to each other. Hes only a year older than me.
We meet up. First time seeing each other's actual faces.
real doppelgangers.
Turns out his father is my bio father's older brother. Both our bio dads bailed before we were born. We both were unwillingly touched as kids by teachers (him at 15, me at 13). Both us have soy allergies and Lysinuric Protein Intolerance (its genetic).
and both us joined the army and failed out during BCT due to undiagnosed mental health issues.
Our lives had run parallel to each other. Hes only a year older than me.
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2points
#9
Little town I grew up in had these two car dealerships on opposite sides of town - one Chevy, one Ford.
They were bitter rivals. Attack ads, bad talking salesman, billboard wars, you name it.
When the owner of the Chevy dealership passed, it came out he'd also owned the Ford dealership by way of a shell company. No one saw that coming, including a lot of the higher ups who worked at the dealerships.
They were bitter rivals. Attack ads, bad talking salesman, billboard wars, you name it.
When the owner of the Chevy dealership passed, it came out he'd also owned the Ford dealership by way of a shell company. No one saw that coming, including a lot of the higher ups who worked at the dealerships.
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1point
How often, while watching a TV series or a movie, or reading a book, do we throw the book or the remote control aside in anger, exclaiming that this or that plot twist seems completely unnatural or unrealistic? This is especially amusing when discussing fantasy film adaptations.
For example, I myself read several critics’ indignant articles about the series “House of the Dragon” - they said the characters’ motivations seemed unrealistic… Wait, so giant flying reptiles breathing fire from their mouths seem realistic in your version, but, for example, a prince betraying his bro doesn’t?
#10
Not a very happy one.
I'll make it as short as possible, posted about this before.
Met my bio dad when I was 23. After a couple years he invited myself and my toddler son to come live with him as I was struggling financially. Wanted to put me in his will, his wife at the time suggested a paternity test "to be sure". I get the mail in, swab your cheek one. 6 weeks later the results came back that he wasn't the dad. She kicked me out. I was homeless, dropped my son off with his father and explained everything, said give me 3 months to work and save so I could get an apartment again. Father of my son claimed abandonment without telling me and got full custody.
Plot twist: 2 weeks after that, bio dad's wife flipped out and in her moment of crazy admitted her triumph of swabbing her own cheek and sending it under my name for the paternity test. We've since retested and he's my father.
I'll make it as short as possible, posted about this before.
Met my bio dad when I was 23. After a couple years he invited myself and my toddler son to come live with him as I was struggling financially. Wanted to put me in his will, his wife at the time suggested a paternity test "to be sure". I get the mail in, swab your cheek one. 6 weeks later the results came back that he wasn't the dad. She kicked me out. I was homeless, dropped my son off with his father and explained everything, said give me 3 months to work and save so I could get an apartment again. Father of my son claimed abandonment without telling me and got full custody.
Plot twist: 2 weeks after that, bio dad's wife flipped out and in her moment of crazy admitted her triumph of swabbing her own cheek and sending it under my name for the paternity test. We've since retested and he's my father.
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1point
#11
My grandfather’s funeral. He was always a fairly reserved and distant father as far as I understood. Would fit the stereotype of a northern dockworker who comes home expecting dinner to be in the table and then goes to the pub all evening via the bookies.
Anyway, an unsurprising heart attack later, we’re all gathered for his funeral. We’re a big, but close family so we know everyone, including his friends. However, one guy turns up, about the same age as my dad and his siblings who nobody knows.
Long story short, turns out it was my grandfather’s son. From another family. From another marriage. That went on for as long as his marriage to my grandmother. My grandfather had maintained two marriages over 40 years, having 7 children with my grandmother and just the one with this other woman. They knew about our family and kept away and apparently my grandmother knew about them but kept quiet.
Turns out he wasn’t going to the pub every night.
Anyway, an unsurprising heart attack later, we’re all gathered for his funeral. We’re a big, but close family so we know everyone, including his friends. However, one guy turns up, about the same age as my dad and his siblings who nobody knows.
Long story short, turns out it was my grandfather’s son. From another family. From another marriage. That went on for as long as his marriage to my grandmother. My grandfather had maintained two marriages over 40 years, having 7 children with my grandmother and just the one with this other woman. They knew about our family and kept away and apparently my grandmother knew about them but kept quiet.
Turns out he wasn’t going to the pub every night.
1point
#12
The one guy I worked with was having a baby. He told me about his gf, "yeah she's pretty big but she's amazing, she's the one for me." I didn't know him very well but as he talked about the pregnancy and so forth and I gave him encouraging words and how his life was going to change so much we bonded a bit. His baby was going to be born right before Christmas, he missed our work xmas party because his baby was being born! We expect him to be gone for paternity leave, but he shows up a few days later. I feared the worst, that the baby had died.
It turned out his girlfriend was lying about being pregnant to spend more time with him. I didn't think much of it at the time, but the fact that he brought up she was fat for no reason must have meant she was so fat you couldn't tell whether she was pregnant or not. She showed him someone else's ultrasounds, they talked about what they would name their baby, how they'd handle taking care of it, all that stuff.
I don't know what she thought was gonna happen when nine months passed and no baby. I guess it's good she came clean though, a more diabolical person would have faked a miscarriage or something. But that was seriously messed up. Shortly after the dude left so I don't really know how he handled it.
It turned out his girlfriend was lying about being pregnant to spend more time with him. I didn't think much of it at the time, but the fact that he brought up she was fat for no reason must have meant she was so fat you couldn't tell whether she was pregnant or not. She showed him someone else's ultrasounds, they talked about what they would name their baby, how they'd handle taking care of it, all that stuff.
I don't know what she thought was gonna happen when nine months passed and no baby. I guess it's good she came clean though, a more diabolical person would have faked a miscarriage or something. But that was seriously messed up. Shortly after the dude left so I don't really know how he handled it.
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1point
But I’ll tell you what - let’s conduct a little thought experiment. Take any of the stories from our list (absolutely real stories from real netizens), and replace, for example, the airplane with a dragon, the Airbnb with a tavern, and give random Sam, Donna, or Mike the names like Daegon, Aenerys, or perhaps Rhaegor.
And is it true that then, say, a situation where a mother who gave birth to a baby at 18 or so, tells everyone the child is her little bro, and the grandma introduces herself as the mother, would seem far-fetched to us? Yes, the realism of the setting - a fictional Midwestern town instead of a magical castle - already adds credibility to the plot in our eyes, doesn’t it?
#13
My mom and a gal pal went to Mexico for break during college. They had a great time. While boarding the return flight her friend says, " sorry, I'm staying" and runs off.
My mom hears from her a few weeks later after not being able to contact her at all ( this was the 70s, ig long distance calls and phones were scarse) Turns out her friend been sneaking off nights and seeing the hotel gardener. She loves him and stayed in Mexico..
That's all my mom knows. Hopefully they lived happily ever after.
UPDATE: I found out the woman's name and believe I have found the correct one on social media. She got married in 1979 which lines up with the story but she lives in Green Bay WI now.
My mom hears from her a few weeks later after not being able to contact her at all ( this was the 70s, ig long distance calls and phones were scarse) Turns out her friend been sneaking off nights and seeing the hotel gardener. She loves him and stayed in Mexico..
That's all my mom knows. Hopefully they lived happily ever after.
UPDATE: I found out the woman's name and believe I have found the correct one on social media. She got married in 1979 which lines up with the story but she lives in Green Bay WI now.
1point
#14
Studying abroad in England, I planned a weekend trip to Barcelona with this girl. This is pre-cellphones.
I overslept. Got to the airport like three hours late. As soon as I arrive, there's the girl. At the exact same time we both say, "I am SO sorry... Wait, what are *you* sorry for?"
Turns out she overslept too. British Airways changed our tickets for us, no charge, and we got to Barcelona a few hours late.
I overslept. Got to the airport like three hours late. As soon as I arrive, there's the girl. At the exact same time we both say, "I am SO sorry... Wait, what are *you* sorry for?"
Turns out she overslept too. British Airways changed our tickets for us, no charge, and we got to Barcelona a few hours late.
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1point
#15
I was a Starbucks barista before the whole "names on cups" thing was big- or at least, it wasn't really practiced in my tiny store.
There was this very cute guy who came in maybe 4-6x a week. A little often, but nothing out of the ordinary. I flirted like *mad*. He flirted back. It was all great. Then he comes in with his fiance. I was betrayed and treated him coldly from then on.
A month later, two of him come in together and I find out that he--uh, they--are twins and I'd shot down any chance I had with the single one.
There was this very cute guy who came in maybe 4-6x a week. A little often, but nothing out of the ordinary. I flirted like *mad*. He flirted back. It was all great. Then he comes in with his fiance. I was betrayed and treated him coldly from then on.
A month later, two of him come in together and I find out that he--uh, they--are twins and I'd shot down any chance I had with the single one.
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1point
Okay, enough thought experiments. Let’s just read these stories, which we’ve collected especially for you from several viral online threads, and simply enjoy the reading. Perhaps, if you’re also a writer, one of these plot twists will inspire you to overcome your creative block!
And if something incredible, yet 100% real, has ever happened to you or someone you know, why not share this exciting story in the comments below this post as well?
#16
Was out with a friend of mine, who ran into her dad....and his OTHER family.
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1point
#17
I knew a woman who was going through divorce proceedings with her husband. He was always argumentative and borderline toxic towards her, certainly always shouting and demeaning.
Then, just as the divorce was entering it's final stages he very suddenly died.
His autopsy showed that he had a massive undiagnosed brain tumour which had been physically altering his personality. His wife felt all kinds of guilty afterwards and took it out on everyone she talked to and lost a lot of friends in the process.
Then, just as the divorce was entering it's final stages he very suddenly died.
His autopsy showed that he had a massive undiagnosed brain tumour which had been physically altering his personality. His wife felt all kinds of guilty afterwards and took it out on everyone she talked to and lost a lot of friends in the process.
1point
#18
I work at a prison and a lady flew all the way from Nigeria to visit her brother who was supposed to be incarcerated at my unit. She speaks little english but we tried to explain to her that the inmate was not in the system anymore. He must have been released. We call a supervisor and it turns out he was released over 5 months before. She walks away confused and come back in with her husband who speaks english much better. We tell him the scenario and he asks, “well where did he go? He doesn’t have any friends or family in the US.” We told him we don’t know where he went, he was released he could be anywhere. The guy, obviously confused, says “Well... he couldn’t have gone anywhere... because he doesn’t have any legs.”
So a legless Nigerian ex-felon with no ties is ~~running~~ scooting around the US and no one knows where he is.
So a legless Nigerian ex-felon with no ties is ~~running~~ scooting around the US and no one knows where he is.
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1point
#19
Had a best friend growing up from who was also my neighbor. Siblings always said that I looked like him and that it would be funny if we did a DNA test. Years go by and we are both in our late 20's and he on a whim does the Ancestory.com DNA swab. Turns out he matches with my family. He's my half brother and Dad had to explain a lot that day.
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1point
#20
Gave up learning German aged 14; I was studying French as well, and used it far more often. I remember saying "when will I need German after this?"
At 24, I got a job in Austria. The language of Austria is German. 14-year-old me didn't think 10 years ahead.
At 24, I got a job in Austria. The language of Austria is German. 14-year-old me didn't think 10 years ahead.
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1point