Warrior For Justice. Or Something.
Jul. 7th, 2012 08:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyspriteSo I think I may have stopped a con artist today. Either that, or I am a crazy harbinger of good luck.
My better half and I were at the local shopping plaza this evening, running a handful of errands, and I had split off from him to wander through the crafts store - there's no need for him to follow me around while I fondle the yarn. But I found what I needed, and got out in a somewhat timely manner, only to be stopped just outside the door by a young man with a desperate expression on his face.
He told me that he had a family emergency, and that his two-year-old son had been left at home alone, and that he just needed a few dollars for a taxi to get home, and could I give him some cash? And, not being quite completely gullible, I shook my head and kept walking, and he went on to the next person coming out of the store with the same story.
And then I felt kind of bad, because what if there actually was some poor toddler stuck at home, and what if the guy was telling the truth, and what if I could honestly help some poor person and I didn't because I was all jaded and cynical and stuff? And I know that's exactly the train of thought that scammers are counting on, but still....
So I turned around to where the guy was now begging with someone through their car window, and hollered back at him. And I told him that if he was telling the truth, and he got a taxi in this parking lot, and told it to actually take him to where he told me he needed to go, I'd pay for it.
And he said thank you, and he seemed incredibly grateful, and he asked me if I had the number of a cab company. Which, of course, I didn't, but he said he knew one not too far away, and he'd call them. And I sat down to call my husband, about two stores away, and inform him that I was taking care of another random stray. But somehow, amazingly, before he got the chance to call the cab company, the guy got another phone call (he must have had his phone on vibrate, because I didn't hear it ring). And after a few quick, admittedly heartfelt-sounding, exchanges and a couple more thank-you's and I-owe-you's, he informed me that everything was fine and he didn't need a taxi after all, and the kid was okay.
Clearly my act of kind selflessness was all the universe needed to demonstrate that human nature is still worth saving, and to set things right for this poor soul and his helpless baby. Either that, or I spared the next hour or two of customers at the local Michael's from having their folding cash swiped by a jerk with a sob story.....
My better half and I were at the local shopping plaza this evening, running a handful of errands, and I had split off from him to wander through the crafts store - there's no need for him to follow me around while I fondle the yarn. But I found what I needed, and got out in a somewhat timely manner, only to be stopped just outside the door by a young man with a desperate expression on his face.
He told me that he had a family emergency, and that his two-year-old son had been left at home alone, and that he just needed a few dollars for a taxi to get home, and could I give him some cash? And, not being quite completely gullible, I shook my head and kept walking, and he went on to the next person coming out of the store with the same story.
And then I felt kind of bad, because what if there actually was some poor toddler stuck at home, and what if the guy was telling the truth, and what if I could honestly help some poor person and I didn't because I was all jaded and cynical and stuff? And I know that's exactly the train of thought that scammers are counting on, but still....
So I turned around to where the guy was now begging with someone through their car window, and hollered back at him. And I told him that if he was telling the truth, and he got a taxi in this parking lot, and told it to actually take him to where he told me he needed to go, I'd pay for it.
And he said thank you, and he seemed incredibly grateful, and he asked me if I had the number of a cab company. Which, of course, I didn't, but he said he knew one not too far away, and he'd call them. And I sat down to call my husband, about two stores away, and inform him that I was taking care of another random stray. But somehow, amazingly, before he got the chance to call the cab company, the guy got another phone call (he must have had his phone on vibrate, because I didn't hear it ring). And after a few quick, admittedly heartfelt-sounding, exchanges and a couple more thank-you's and I-owe-you's, he informed me that everything was fine and he didn't need a taxi after all, and the kid was okay.
Clearly my act of kind selflessness was all the universe needed to demonstrate that human nature is still worth saving, and to set things right for this poor soul and his helpless baby. Either that, or I spared the next hour or two of customers at the local Michael's from having their folding cash swiped by a jerk with a sob story.....
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-07-08 12:37 am (UTC)It just so happened that I had recently had to replace the tires on my car, and two of the old ones were not completely worn out, so I had them in the back seat. So I gave them to him. He had to take them or blow his cover whether he really needed them or not, so either I actually saved the day or, well...
no subject
Date: 2012-07-08 02:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-08 03:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-08 03:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-08 03:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-08 03:43 pm (UTC)