Man from Taured
July 1954 was a fairly unremarkable month at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo. That is until the man from Taured arrived. The man, who would become known as the Man from Taured, looked at first glance like any other smartly dressed businessman. While going through the motions of normal border control he was why he was traveling. The man said it was just another business trip, one of many, that he had taken this year. However, something about this man demanded further questioning and that is when his strange background was discovered.
The man was purportedly caucasian and his primary language was believed to be French. However, he was able to communicate effectively in Japan and also said he spoke several other languages. His bags included currency from several recognizable European countries which seemed to confirm his statement that he traveled often for business.
Up to this point, the questioning was proving unnecessary as everything the man was saying could be verified. However, things went wrong when airport officials asked his country of origin. Nonplussed, the man responded he was from Taured, a country he clarified was on the border between France and Spain. Airport officials were completely baffled because no country named Taured had ever existed.
Surprisingly, the man pulled out a Taured passport which seemed legitimate enough considering that country didn’t exist. However, it did show corresponding stamps for his travel to Japan as well as other European countries.
Likely annoyed at this time, the man from Taured encouraged airport officials to call his company. However, when that company was called where he was supposed to have a meeting they reported they had never heard of him. His hotel that he was supposedly booked for did not have his reservation and the bank listed on his checkbook was shown to not exist.
Confused and afraid of trafficking or another scam, they decide to put the man from Taured in a room while officials figure out next steps and contact the authorities. However, when they return to the room (which was several stories up and contained no openable windows) the man is, inexplicably, gone.
So, was the man from Taured a time slip that corrected itself? Was an interdimensional or time traveler that went to the wrong dimension or time? Or, is this just a clever and creative story propagated and made real by the internet?
Thanks to Bruce C for the suggestion!
The above image is not connected to the story and is by Ian Mackenzie, entitled Passport stamp: Grenada. It is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0.