My fiancé Phil and I were shopping for housewares and discussing our inability to spend money on frivolous decorations. Right around the time I was loudly bemoaning the $199 price tag on a sunburst mirror, a dude who was looking at vases in the same aisle — and obviously listening to our exchange — chuckled. We turned to him, he turned to us, and he smiled and asked, “Have you lived here for long?”

Alarm bells should have gone off right then, but the fellow, who introduced himself as “Brian,” seemed friendly enough and we were drawn into conversation with him because he admitted early on that he and his wife were somewhat new to the area and didn’t know too many people. We spent 15 minutes or so chatting with the guy and the conversation ended with me giving him my card and Phil’s phone number so that we could all get together for coffee one day. I left the encounter feeling all warm and fuzzy, my mind conjuring up images of Phil and I double-dating with “Brian” and his mystery wife — going to dinner, getting coffee, taking in a show.

Less than a week later, “Brian” was calling Phil and asking him if he and I wanted to make some money. Phil was immediately dubious, but decided to listen to what “Brian” had to say, which was basically that we’d have to go to his office for a presentation about a moneymaking plan he wanted to share with us. Phil wasn’t having it, and after much back and forth it became apparent that “Brian” only befriended us so that he could sell us something that he wouldn’t tell us anything about unless it was in person. My fiancé was pretty steamed by that point and the phone call ended shortly thereafter.

Phil didn't seemed surprised by the call when he told me about it later. But I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. I walked away from the “Brian” encounter thinking we’d made a new friend and was deeply troubled by the realization that he initiated a relationship under completely false pretenses. Was this dude just hanging around Target and waiting for the chance to “meet” a few unsuspecting shoppers, whom he’d later try to sell his whatever to? Or, did he just happen to be shopping himself and couldn’t resist what he thought was a perfect marketing opportunity? I don’t know, but one thing I did learn: Making random new friends at a Target is hit-or-miss at best.

This article appears in Apr 11-17, 2007.