Yesterday, I traveled across town to the Wal-Mart Supercenter to get a few groceries. Having 3 children keeps us on a tight budget with usually minimal money to spare. Most of what I got at WM this trip was paper goods. As I was closing the trunk and preparing to load up my children in the car, a young lady approached me. She had been standing across the aisle of the parking lot beside a car with Colorado plates that looked packed with a large cooler/ice chest and misc. other things. She had watched me the entire time I loaded my trunk (all of about 3 minutes).
"Miss, please, I was wondering if you could help me. See, I am from out of town and my car got broke into and we don't have money to get any groceries. Could you spare some money for groceries over the weekend?"
I am leary of any thing like this (hey, I even checked my back window at each store I went to!) so I asked a few questions.
"Where are you from?"
"Colorado"
"And your car got broken into HERE?"
"No, just in the area, we are vacationing in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. We need something to get us by until Monday when everything opens again."
Okay, here I was a bit confused. It wasn't even noon on Friday and she had to wait for WHAT to open up? And there was no one else with her that I could see, not even in the car. Plus, how did she get from Gatlinburg to Wal-Mart if her car had been broken into? And why drive to a Wal-Mart an hour away? They aren't that few and far between. Before moving to where I live now, I had been to Gatlinburg and didn't even come close to Knoxville, much less 30 minutes north of K-town. It takes an hour, give or take depending on traffic, to get from G-burg to that Wal-Mart.
"Honestly, ma'am, I don't have any extra to spare, I am sorry."
I couldn't even give her what groceries I had gotten. Unless she would eat baby food and maybe some Stove Top stuffing, that was all the food I had. I loaded up my kids, got in the car and drove off. A couple of men passed by her and she never approached them, but I did see her speak to another lady as I pulled out the parking lot.
She looked harmless and didn't try anything, but what would you have done in my situation? I felt bad for her, if her story rang true, but did I do the right thing?
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Comments: 14
Now I give a person the name of the agency in this city who helps stranded travelers.
Your lady's story didn't sound plausible and I think it's wise to go with your gut feeling.
Amazingly, God provided and when we got home, I was able to call our landlord (we rent) and explain the situation. He held our rent check for a month! And my husband was able to make extra money through a side job which took care of the rest.
Our church has a food pantry, maybe I should have sent her there, but she didn't really look like she wanted to go anywhere. I won't risk anything when I have my babies with me, though!