Sept. 21 - Lisa's Musings (on helping others) and Every Day Life

They say there's a sucker born every day and maybe I was one yesterday, but I'll never know.

Here's what happened, so feel free to tell me what you think.

I pulled into the Westgate Shopping Center last night to go to Staples. For, duh, office supplies.

So, as I was pulling into a parking spot, a kinda scruffy man approached my van, and I rolled down my window.

He explained that he needed $11 for a new radiator hose; that he and his friend were stranded. He was very specific to show me a wad of cash and said he wasn't a bum.

Although I have to tell you, he sure looked like he could use a shower.

He said he hadn't had a job in nine months and was down on his luck. Plus, he was recovering from a (very evident) broken jaw. I did not ask how he got it.

He also had an ace bandage wrapped around his forearm, and proceeded to pull down the bandage to show me what he described as a spider bite that had gotten infected. It looked more like a stab wound to me, but what do I know?

So, I gave him eleven bucks. He thanked me profusely and vanished. I didn't watch where he went.

The whole thing took about 5 minutes from start to finish, so I really didn't give it a lot of thought.

I just handed him my money, and to be honest, I hoped that his story was legit and that I'd done something nice for my fellow man.

So, here's what went through my head: The guy did have a wad of cash on him and he asked for $11 bucks -- not a dollar or ten dollars or could I spare some change. He had a goal to reach and I may or may not have helped him reach it.

I'll never know.

But one thing I do know is this guy was down on his luck and had definitely seen happier (and cleaner) days. And I guess if I was in trouble and had to ask perfect strangers for help, I'd like to think that someone would take pity on me.

Maybe I'm a sucker and the guy took me for a ride, but I truly believe that good deeds come back in kind.

So I ask you, what would you have done?