Red flags and gas cans
Yesterday, in Schnuck’s parking lot, a twenty-ish something woman approached me, saying that she and her friend were out of gas and needed to get back to St. Louis.
She asked if I could give her a dollar or two for gas. She was holding a gas can. I never saw her friend.
I know what you are thinking. I was thinking the same thing. But I gave her a dollar anyway.
She approached another shopper as I was getting into my car. That woman also gave her some money.
I’m wondering if this scenario will become more common as oil gets scarce and gas prices remain out of whack. Not necessarily because people will be needing gas money, but also because scammers will con people with the most believable story they can think up.
I really wanted to believe her. Really. But my gut instincts, the ones I learned about in self-defense class, were telling me that she wasn’t totally honest.
While I drove home I thought about what I would do if I were out of gas in a different town. Would I ask strangers in a parking lot for money? I don’t think so.
I would try to make a phone call for someone to pick me up. What if no one I knew had enough gas money to come get me? Well, then I don’t know. I think maybe I would ask the people inside Schnuck’s for some advice. Maybe the police could help.
What I keep thinking about was that red gas can. Maybe I don’t hang out with the “be prepared” crowd, but I don’t know anyone who carries a gas can in their car. It almost seemed to me to complete a manufactured image of someone needing gas.
I hope she got to St. Louis, if that was her true intention.
If she actually just needed money and approaching strangers was all she could think of to get it, then I imagine she raked in quite a bit last night.
Later I realized she could have been a distraction for a group of thugs waiting to hit me over the head while I talked to her. Or she could have pulled a weapon as I looked down to open my purse.
What should I have done? Ignored her? She seemed harmless. She seemed in distress. Even still, I know the experts would say not to even acknowledge someone who makes you feel uncomfortable. But, what if she really needed help?
Now that I think about it, it would have been quite appropriate for me to keep my momentum going, not pausing, while I listened to her. I could have said, while getting in my car, in a no-time-to-talk tone “I’ll call someone for you.”
I wouldn’t have had to even listen to her entire spiel. I could have interrupted her as if I were so incredibly busy. That way, I wouldn’t make the mistake of pausing, making myself vulnerable.
Then, lock my doors, drive off and call the police to assist her.
Red flags and gas cans. Be aware.
