[lizardlady]

I had an unusual experience in the Wal-Mart parking lot yesterday. As I was putting my purchases in my truck a lady pulled up behind the truck and apologized for bothering me. She was visibly upset. She said she was trying to get to a specific hospital in another town, but was about to run out of gas. Said she had come from another state when she received a phone call saying her mother had a heart attack. She said the gas station rejected her credit card and she didn't have any cash. She asked if I knew any place that could help her. I suggested travel's aid. She said they couldn't help. Then she listed some other local charities she tried, but they couldn't help either. She asked if I could give her enough money for foru gallons of gas because that would get her to the town where her mother was in the hospital. She offered to mail me a check to repay me. The tag on her car was from the state she told me she came from. Her driver's license was from the same state. I gave her twn dollars and told her to "pay it forward." She was close to tears when I gave her the money.

So, what do you think? Was I played or was she truly in need?

[uncreativeartist]

I think you were played. She pulled in what kind of car? Did it look newer? Somehow she was almost out of gas and gone to several charities and other places to get help with gas? Where she could have just gone to the hospital. She also traveled to another state and drove around a walmart instead of going to the hospital. Did you see her gas gauge? Was it almost empty?

The least I would have done was gone into walmart and have her purchase something, or at least try to with her credit card. Also I would have checked her gas gauge.

Not sure for you but if $20 is not a lot to lose than be glad that is all you lost.

[H3rmit]

Played. This is a typical pressure plea. Yeah, the car was from another state - probably stolen.

What would I have done? Probably asked her, "Are you serious?" and rolled my eyes.


PS after reading down to George's post:
You people are all nicer than me. I realize that.

[Sometimes psychotic]

I do this all the time...people get one shot...depending on how good the story is they get up to twenty bucks but never again. I have no idea if I'm getting played or not. But if the story is good enough I feel good myself so I it's worth it. So example of a twenty dollar story is this. I'm carrying my groceries up the stairs, man asks if I have any work he can do says he's a day laborer came over to the nearby church for some charity program they have but it wasn't on that day...it was the day before Easter. He just wanted some food for his family...was going to get a bucket of chicken from across the street. I don't remember the details but he had a plan on how the food would last two days. He even gave me his address which was local...he had a home and a family and I gave him $20 for the chicken.

The only problem was he was waiting outside the apartment the next day...at the time I thought I had gotten played and he was back for more so I didn't go outside. Since then I've wondered if he might have wanted to thank me?

[LadyShadow]

I don't know, I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. She could have really been in need. You may have done a really good thing. Bless your heart, you're a very good person for helping someone that way

It's iffy but you will never know for sure so as far as you know she was truly in need.
You did something really nice. Probably not the answer you expected from Cynical George

[almostthere]

U did the right thing. I would have done the same. Even if u think the she played u by convincing u her situation was grave, in time,her conscience will get the better of her.

Don't feel bad about helping people in need. U did the right thing.

Originally Posted by lizardlady

I had an unusual experience in the Wal-Mart parking lot yesterday. As I was putting my purchases in my truck a lady pulled up behind the truck and apologized for bothering me. She was visibly upset. She said she was trying to get to a specific hospital in another town, but was about to run out of gas. Said she had come from another state when she received a phone call saying her mother had a heart attack. She said the gas station rejected her credit card and she didn't have any cash. She asked if I knew any place that could help her. I suggested travel's aid. She said they couldn't help. Then she listed some other local charities she tried, but they couldn't help either. She asked if I could give her enough money for foru gallons of gas because that would get her to the town where her mother was in the hospital. She offered to mail me a check to repay me. The tag on her car was from the state she told me she came from. Her driver's license was from the same state. I gave her twn dollars and told her to "pay it forward." She was close to tears when I gave her the money.

So, what do you think? Was I played or was she truly in need?

[yellowted]

I probably would have 'escorted' well followed her to the gas station, had her put in 20 dollars worth of gas, then got her to try her credit card, only if it was then refused would i pay it and wish her a good day. if she really was stranded she would have had no problem going along with this.

you were probably played as this is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and who on earth knows where the charities are in a state they are just passing through, let alone have the thought to go to them when you have just been told your mum has just had a heart attack! That said though i would like to think if i were stranded someone would help me.

[lizardlady]

I made a typo in my original post. I gave her ten dollars, not twenty.

I'm still not sure if I got played. Even if I did, I feel OK about giving her the money. I did what I did out of kindness. I also thought of a time my hubby and I ran out of gas out in the boonies. We had a gas can, but it was gonna be a long walk to a gas station. Some kind soul gave us a ride to a gas station, then drove us back to the car.

For what it's worth, friends also think I got played.

I keep thinking about it. There was a time in my life I'd be beating myself up for having been played. BUT I did what I did to try and help a person I thought was in need. That's not a bad thing. I feel good about what I did, even if she did play me.

[Travelinglady]

It's hard to know. I have given money to such people and told them I hoped they were being honest with me! I felt led to give one "Bag guy" (without his asking) some money and told him NOT to spend it on booze. Of course, they might have not listened to me.....

I know in Atlanta I saw a sign about not giving money to beggars. People get taken a lot by folks, but I agree that you did the right thing by giving her the benefit of the doubt. They might snicker at our gullibility, but in my book, they WILL have to answer at some point to a "higher power" if they are cheating people.

That said, I do rarely hand out money--and I never even order anything over the phone or take such telemarketers up on their "free" offers.

[JadeAmethyst]

In my experience, when someone in need they are in need. It is my deepest passion when I am able to give them a hand....I do not care what others say or do, but this is deeply personal to me. Yes, I say "pay it forward"

Thanks for posting this

Jade

[IowaFarmGal]

I probably would have done the same if I had money to give.

[Cheshire Grin]

I come from a huge family, I have well over a hundred cousins. We seem to have more than our share of scammers in our family, so I've learned to take pleas for cash from strangers with a grain of salt. If we give money to relatives, they almost always use it to feed addictions instead of their kids

My sister saw a family of strangers with a sign asking for gas money. She pulled over and offered to accompany them to the gas station and pay to fill their tank. Some other people pulled over and offered to chip in. The family declined the offer and asked for cash!

The other concerned people who wanted to help them got mad and started arguing with them. My sister got in her car and drove off, not wanting to witness how ugly it might get

I'm probably jaded by family history, but, for what it's worth, I know you did what you thought was best. I don't like to see good people taken advantage of. Your heart is in the "right" place.