She probaly was so frustrated that she did not even think about it. I would have had the person take the grill back and pick it up later or never bought it. But then us seniors don't trust anyone.

I wouldn't think twice about it.

But I'm male.

And I hitch-hike - plus pick up hitch-hikers on the highway - haven't had trouble yet, except was offered a joint (plus sexual services).

Turned down both.

Later picked up the same guy. He apologized.

I stop to help folks by the roadside, as well.

Have a lovely Easter, everyone - it it's important to you. Or eid, or whatever celebration you observe near spring equinox.

ole joyful

When I was a teenager (life wasn't quite as scary then but things could happen then just like now)
I worked in Omaha, sometimes untill late evening. I would take the bus home and walk 8 blocks home.

One night there was a car load of teen boys giving me a hard time...I don't remember what was said...

Another car with a middle age couple stopped and ask if they were bothering me..and would I like a ride home...

I actually got in the car....as soon as I did I remember thinking....these people could be worse than the teen boys...It scared me...I remember thinking...God watch over me...

They took me home and nothing happened...

What she did wasn't quite as bad...Maybe she has a "big" husband who was waiting at home and she may have called him to be at the door waiting for her...

Who knows.....

I would not think it was a good idea...I guess when we are young we are just more trusting...AND SHOULD NOT BE....!!!

But I will say....that was darn nice of Larry...

patti

I would not because when I was a teen I was walking home from the Y late one Sat nite by late I mean 9:30.Anyway a policeman pulled up and asked if I wanted a ride.I said yes because I thought no worries.I got in.He knew where I lived.He pulled in a really dark alley near my home.Turned all the lights out .It was dark,He turned around I was in the back seat.He started to ask me alot of odd questions.I was scared.I said repeatedlyI have to go I have a curfew.I cant be late Ill get beat.He kept saying no.Finally I jumped out I said I have to go.I never told anyone.After I got married it was an article where he molested 2 young girls.He got away with it only to go on to be a police chief.........

In a situation like yours, CR, yes, I might. But then, she probably saw you in the truck, and figured that made it safer. Probably that's not really true in all cases, but odds are that a married couple are less likely to hurt a woman than a single man. And she needed help and you two came along....

I think a lot of it is relative. I'm not used to strangers coming to my house, the sound of a car in the driveway that isn't one of ours is very foreign. But we have friends who live on a main road and to them, they don't think twice about a knock at the door or a car in their drive, strange or known. Maybe she was one of them, used to people and not thrown off by strangers at her place.

Woody won't even consider having a yard sale here at our house because he doesn't want to encourage people coming back here into our woods or have them "scout" us out. He's not trusting of strangers at all, I guess he's seen too much bad stuff in his life, he's very practical. He would have immediately thought "that guy will drive off with our new grill!" lol I think women are more trusting than men, which is kind of backwards considering women are more vulnerable.

You guys did a good deed! That's so nice. Larry must have an honest face.

I wouldn't let a stranger follow me home and like Flamey, I live too far out in the woods to have a yard sale and have strangers coming here. We helped a girl load a couch awhile back, and followed her home and Jody helped her get it in the
house. But, I wouldn't do that.

I'm with Flamey. When it's a couple, it would probably look safe.

I guess I've gotten more cynical living here in El Paso...back home in PA I wouldn't have thought much of it.But we live right beside Juarez,Mexico...bad place...murders everyday right now.Look up Juarez on the internet...it's scarey there.They are killing the police everyday...
I just thought it was odd that she let us do that...we could have taken off with it,could have hurt her...she was home alone,said her dad was coming over later to put the grill together.Oh well..I'm just leery of strangers here I guess... LOL!

I guess I am in the gullible category? I followed lots of people home, and even stayed at their houses. Yes, complete strangers.

It really depended on how to looked to me, if I even talked tot them. But, like I said, I followed them home, or followed directions or maps they gave me.

Of course, all that was while I was on one of my long bike trips, and I was on my bicycle.

You have to have a certain amount of trust, but you also have to follow your guts.

Moni

I had an incident just last week. I'm home alone and all of our properties are acreage in this neighborhood. The doorbell rang and I just jumped up to answer it thinking it was the UPS guy. Well, it was a young man. We just had a college student murdered a few weeks ago (Eve Carson, UNC student body president and also a Duke grad student earlier -- same suspect in both). I hesitated, but he saw me clearly here inside. I got my big dog by the collar in one hand, cell phone in the other and opened the door about 1 inch. He asked if "Benjy" stayed here. I told him no. Up on the road, I could see a car driving SLOWLY by. The kid walked up to my mailbox (200+ feet) and started walking down the road and that car went by him slowly and didn't pick him up within my sight. (Later found out that a neighbor saw him get in that car in front of her house). I called my husband and he said to call 911. So, I did. The car went out our cul-de-sac through a private driveway (secret access) to another dirt track out to a road instead of exiting the neighborhood via the road. I think they were just checking to see if our house was occupied. Since it was, they didn't burglarize us.

Still, I don't know WHY I opened that door!

I'm with you. DS won't even stop to help someone on the road. Better to call highway patrol and report their need. Safer that way for you

Like Blanche duBois, I depend on the kindness of strangers. Your husband was very kind to offer the use of hios truck. I have accepted help many times. Yesaterday I needed help getting my husband's walker into our car. He had insisted I take him shopping. A very nice lasdy saw me striggling to fold the walker and gave me a hand with it.

We always help people out if we can.....Larry will stop to help a broken down car...give a push or a jump if neededhelp lift stuff...
This just struck me as strange...a young girl..letting a stranger put her expensive new grill in his truck and following her home...

I may be sorry one day, but like Moni, I always follow my instincts. If something about Larry made me wary - I'd pass, wife or no. If Larry's kind offer didn't give me the heebie jeebies - he could follow me home, wife or no. I have never been able to put my finger on why, exactly, some situations make me uncomfortable and others don't - but following my gut has never led me wrong.

I would not likely accept that kind of help. I would find another solution before letting a stranger follow me home. Take the parts out of the box, maybe. When I found myself with a box too big to fit in my van (a ping pong table), I called a neighbor with a truck to come get it. I don't depend on the kindness of stranger, but I'm grateful for some good neighbors!

I would be more likely to offer help than accept it, but even then the need would have to be evident and a situation where I knew I could safely meet a true need. My friend went to a lot of trouble to help a woman motorist who had run out of gas on one of our local streets. My friend hunted down a gas can from another friend, filled it and took it back to her. The "stranded" woman was local (had local tags) alone (no kids w/her- that might matter to me), professionally dressed and driving a Mercedes. I was surprised that my friend went to that much trouble. Given the details, I would have assumed the woman had a cell phone and AAA/roadside assistance and let her solve her own problems.

If I ran out of gas, that's what I would do. I would turn down help if someone stopped.

I'm with bunglo...i follow my instincts...it doesn't happen often that I'm put in that scenario...

I'm also in Bunglogrl's camp. Just add my name to her post.

Living in Iowa, I am in Moni and Bunglogrl's camp. I trust my instincts.

There have been a few times that I have been asked to help in ways that I thought were inappropriate. I mean, I know I am not a sicko but how do YOU know that?

Strangers handing me babies to hold as they run to the bathroom. Excuse me, but I am a STRANGER. I have been at the park with DD and had other parents ask me to keep an eye on their kids while they went somewhere. How do they know I don't use DD as a lure to get kids?

Kids coming to sleep over and the parents don't even come to the door even though we haven't even met. No darling, go get your mom because if I don't meet her you aren't staying. We had an altercation because one mother sent her new boyfriend to pick up her child after a sleepever. I had never seen him before, and no way was he taking her. I called the mom and she said it was alright. I said "You have known this man for two weeks. I don't care if you ARE sleeping with him, he is still a stranger and I am not letting your daughter go with him". She was mad, and did come to pick up her daughter and told me they weren't allowed to play together any more. Fine with me! They've since moved.

I was in a similar situation once except it was a mattress and box spring. We had just moved into our new home and I was in a pinch. We needed a set for BIL to sleep on. FIL was in critical condition in the hospital, BIL arrived from FL, DH picking him up at airport. Went to mattress store 2 miles down the road bought and paid for the M&BS but they wouldn't be able to deliver for 2 days. There was a young couple with the cutest 3/4 year old who offered to help me. They were very nice. It never occurred to me to be wary. I knew my neighbor across the street was at home and he would be able to help the man put the mattress and box spring on the porch until DH and BIL arrived home.
I thanked the man and asked what I owed him he said Merry Christmas. I gave him the $35 the store would have charged me, he didn't want to accept it. I finally said please buy your little girl a new dolly for Christmas from me. He smiled and said deal.
I agree with Moni you just have to go with your gut.