Weird situation concern-

mahojim · Post by **mahojim** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:23 am

So I offered to leave work early from the bar tonight.
I live @ 35 minutes from work. It's a great spot out in the Pinelands.
That said, it's a slow, quiet ride home to/from work. Nothing but trees.
On the way home tonight, I picked up a hitch-hiker in the middle of it all. He was an older man, 67 yrs, and his name is Helmut, from Germany. He's experienced quite a few cities in his 3 month journey.
He's a newspaper columnist writer,and wood sculpter, and has been in the states travelling around on his own dollar hoping to find an avenue to express his view of America.
I not only brought him back to the hacienda for some hot cocoa, but also took him to a motel near a bus stop to take him back to JFK.
Seems like a karma type solid if he doesn't end up being an international serial killer.
Thoughts?
Smiles-
MJ
P.S.-
Amy's pissed

Berlingirl · Post by **Berlingirl** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:30 am

Of course I had to comment...very nice of you.

I'm female, have done the very same thing...probably more times than I can count...however, I spent many years growing up in Europe where it was commonplace to do such things. As I'm getting older...and possibly wiser I don't stop like I used to...BTW...never brought anybody home either...but dropped off a few at home, work, or 5 miles down the road.

mahojim · Post by **mahojim** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 12:37 am

Hear you, man.
It's @ 15 degrees out there, now. Couldn't help it. Had to stop.
Amy's pissed. All I know is that I wouldn't want to be freezing out in the middle of the woods.
Maybe I'll make it into a newspaper column in Germany that I'll never read.

I'm a moron.
Smiles-
MJ

Lovermont · Post by **Lovermont** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:45 am

I'm with you MJ. Although, I'm not sure I'd do it at night in a desolate area (what with being a girl and all). I've picked up hitchikers before and it's always been a pleasant experience. Last summer I picked up three guys who were hiking the Appalachian Trail (the real one, not the Governor Sanford one...

!) I drive a beautiful convertible BMW 3 series, and they said it was the highlight of their hike. They'd started from GA 3 months earlier, and even though they'd been in a motel the night before to have a shower, they smelled a bit and we joked that it was a good thing that the top was down.

Anyway, I guess I understand why SA is a little upset, because she cares about you, but I choose to believe that most people are good (and I'm guessing you believe that too) and our life is made up of interactions with other human beings. And who knows, Helmut might write you into a fascinating story.

That being said, I'm glad he wasn't a serial killer

Lovermont

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:32 am

I gave up that kind of stuff years ago....maybe I have become hardened or a bit cold....

But this brings back a memory from close to 20 years ago when a guy asked me for a ride, said he had a few buccks for gas...after he got in he pulled a gun and put it to my head...seriously.

That probably changed my view a bit.

I like to assume everyone is good, but they aren't so be careful who you trust.

mahojim · Post by **mahojim** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:55 am

Sherb-
WHOA.
So sorry to hear about your experience. Kind of puts a damper on the kindness you chose to share.
Could've been a bad judgement call last night, but it seemed ok to me at the time.
I wish our schedules corresponded for vaca this Spring,I'd love to meet you & yours. You sound like a great person;-next time, maybe.
Smiles-
MJ

loria · Post by **loria** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:26 am

i tend to try to believe that there is more good than bad out there--however, i can understand amy's concerns. that being said, i probably would have done the same thing.....

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:16 am

mahojim wrote:Sherb-
WHOA.
So sorry to hear about your experience. Kind of puts a damper on the kindness you chose to share.
Could've been a bad judgement call last night, but it seemed ok to me at the time.
I wish our schedules corresponded for vaca this Spring,I'd love to meet you & yours. You sound like a great person;-next time, maybe.
Smiles-
MJ

MJ- Likewise on missing you guys this trip, maybe another time...enjoy...

Connie · Post by **Connie** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:33 am

Wow Jim, you brought him home? I'm with Amy on this one. You're crazy, but I knew that

)

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:24 am

I don't pick up hitch hikers...maybe I would on STJ, but not elsewhere. My first question would be, who kicked him out of their car in the middle of nowhere, and why?

mahojim · Post by **mahojim** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:00 pm

Ca-
He said he'd been walking for the last 6-7 miles where his last ride was able to get him furthest.
Smiles-
MJ

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:47 pm

I like to think most people are good. I have given people rides before, and felt good about helping someone out. I really would be upset if Blaine brought someone home like that, though!
Sherban, man, I'm sorry you had to live through that and am glad you weren't hurt. What's the rest of the story?

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:05 pm

mahojim wrote:Ca-
He said he'd been walking for the last 6-7 miles where his last ride was able to get him furthest.
Smiles-
MJ

Uhmmmhumm..right. Did you ever see the Rutger Hauer version of "The Hitcher"?

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:25 pm

mindehankins wrote:I like to think most people are good. I have given people rides before, and felt good about helping someone out. I really would be upset if Blaine brought someone home like that, though!
Sherban, man, I'm sorry you had to live through that and am glad you weren't hurt. What's the rest of the story?

Well, ok I'll exhume the memory...
I was living in greater Atlanta at the time, going to technical school. about 21 years old...it was a weekend night and I was with a friend and we went to a liquor store...bought some stuff and came out and a guy was there near the door and asked if we could give him a lift and one of us said "do you have a couple bucks for gas?" and he said "yes" so we said "Ok come on" he got in the front seat next to me, we started backing out and I said "so do you have the gas money?" and he said "yeah I got gas money, I got a gun too...pulled out a pistol and put it up to my head"...wow the adrenaline rush I got!!...long story short we calmed him down drove him a couple miles and he got out and we never saw him again.

Moral of the story...not sure, maybe bad people suck?

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:59 pm

Stupidly, in college...1973-78...I hitch rides home all the time in upper Michigan. I look back at it now and tell my girls how stupid I was. But I never once had a problem. Times have seriously changed. Hitchhiking back then was a mode of transportation. My future husband (didn't know him then) hitched ride from Michigan to San Francisco in 1969 and he only ran into one suspicious situation.
Would I pick up someone today? No way! MahoJ...you're a brave sole.

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Weird situation concern-

Weird situation concern-