i placed my trust and eight dollars in the hands of a stranger today
Along Grand Avenue, on my way to Whole Foods, biscotto in hand, i encountered today a man asking for help. He detailed his sad story of having had his money stolen and running out of gas. He said he was a truck driver from South Dakota, and he just needed to get enough gas to get back to Albert Lea, where he had money or friends or company or something that would help him get back home. He asked me for eight dollars, and said he'd mail it back to me in the morning. I think that most people would dismiss him as a smooth-talking panhandler, but i was tempted to believe his story, so i pulled out my wallet, as he told me that his wife had just left him. I then proceeded to give him not one or two dollars to "help him on his way", but the entire eight he asked for. He's going to mail it back to me, right? Maybe it was an experiment in generosity and trust, or maybe it was an experiment in foolishness and gullibility. I grabbed a random receipt (cash) from my wallet and wrote my address on the back, leaving out my last name and just using the box number instead, to at least obscure my identity somewhat. James thanked me, and we went our separate ways.
I'll be watching my mailbox closely in the next few days. I think i'll be getting eight dollars soon.