Ohio Woman Pulls Into Parking Lot And Is Instantly Confused When She Sees What’s Crawling On A Woman’s Back: ‘Y’All Are Different Here’

In Ohio, a routine drive-thru stop turned into something that felt more like a scene out of a comedy sketch than real life. One woman thought she was just grabbing something quick. Nothing unusual, nothing memorable.

But then she noticed something that made her do a double take… and then stare a little longer just to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. Because what she saw didn’t quite make sense at first glance. According to her TikTok, she spotted another customer at the drive-thru window purchasing cigarettes. Totally normal. Until she looked a little closer.

That’s when she realized the woman at the window wasn’t alone. Perched across her shoulders and moving around her neck was a live opossum. At first, she questioned her own eyes. But after a second look, there was no denying it. This wasn’t a trick of the light or a weird shadow. It was a full-on animal casually riding along as if it belonged there.

Gartholomew: Akron, Ohio’s Most Unexpected Local Celebrity

As it turns out, this isn’t even that unusual in Akron, Ohio. The opossum, known as Gartholomew (or “Garth” for short), has reportedly been with his owner for years after she found him as a baby. Since then, the two have been inseparable, with Garth often tagging along on errands, including drive-thru runs.

Even more surprising? Garth has built a bit of a following. He has his own social media presence, and locals in Ohio seem to recognize him as something of a neighborhood personality. The woman who captured the moment shared her disbelief, joking that “only in Akron” would you see something like this and just have to accept it. And somehow… it did.

Naturally, once the video made its rounds, people had a lot to say. Some were shocked. Others were amused. And a few weren’t surprised at all. One commenter joked that after moving to Akron from Birmingham, Alabama, they’d already seen enough strange things to last a lifetime. And they’d only been there a year and a half.

“Hey I’m from Birmingham, Alabama I’ve seen it all since I’ve been here in Akron, and it’s only been a year and a half.. y’all are different!” she notes.

Others chimed in with laughter, pointing out that the opossum seemed calmer than most pets people bring in public.

Unusual Pets

While dogs and cats dominate the pet world, unusual companions aren’t as rare as you might think. Across the U.S., people have been spotted with everything from raccoons and ferrets to reptiles and even small livestock.

In Ohio, laws around exotic or non-traditional pets can vary depending on the animal and local regulations. Opossums, for example, may require permits or fall under wildlife rules, especially if they were originally taken in from the wild.

For the woman who witnessed it, the moment was equal parts shocking and hilarious. A reminder that sometimes real life is far stranger than anything you’d expect.

Only In Ohio?

And in Ohio, particularly Akron, it seems like the unexpected might just be part of the daily routine. Because sometimes, a quick stop at the drive-thru turns into a story you’ll be telling for years… especially when it involves a possum named Garth riding shotgun.

Experts often caution that wild animals, even those raised by humans, can carry health risks and have unpredictable behavior. Still, stories like this show that some people form strong bonds with animals you wouldn’t normally expect.