Some very non-technical thoughts
Posted by Travis on November 2, 2009
I had to get this down, a confessional of sorts. Confessing that I think negatively of people. Right or wrong. Forgive the jumbled quality as well. I’m trying to get this down. I felt like I needed to.
So tonight, at around 11pm, I was 99% asleep in my recliner, 1% watching the World Series when I hear an unfamiliar car engine sound. You know how you know the cars around your house you are used to hearing. I didn’t recognize this one and assumed it was a neighbor’s house. A few seconds later my dog begins going nuts and then someone knocks on my door. (Yeah, Ruby is a good guard dog, she heard them coming to the porch.) I stumbled to the door, now about 15% awake, and look out the window to see a woman looking up at me. She asked me for something, I said what, she asked again, I said what again, I opened the door with one hand, held my dog with the other and asked what again. Now 20% awake, I was only able to determine only that I was not clearly thinking enough operate the machinery that is my brain. My wife took over the thinking part since she was still fully awake and on the internet at the time of the surprise…
Tonight a woman and a young child ended up in my driveway in their car and ultimately at my door, asking for help. Not sure what she wanted really. First it was a phone, then it was cash for food or gas to get home. She lives about an hour away and had been stuck in town all day with car trouble. We, as usual, had no cash on hand (and I wouldn’t have wanted to give it anyway). But, my wife volunteered me to go to the gas station around the corner with her to fill her tank up. She asked for cash again for food. My wife invited her into the dining room to give her a few snacks for her little boy. I then told her where the gas station was and followed her there. I filled her tank up and talked barely as I stood there, I was tired and foggy still having been asleep only 10 minutes prior. She commented about how cold it had gotten outside and how her car still wasn’t running smooth. She then said “can I wash your car or something for $10 just in case something bad happens on the way home and I need money?” I reminded her again that I had no cash. I put $30 in gas in her tank, she thanked me for the gas, hopped in her car, and drove away very quickly. I got in my car and drove home wondering why that happened so fast. Should I have said Jesus loves her? Was I so quiet, “asleep” and short with her that she wanted to leave me alone as soon as possible?
Now I sit at home, wide awake, 90 minutes later. I just don’t trust people. I assume the worse sometimes. I’m trying to figure out what her ulterior motive was (as if she HAD to have one). Was she casing us? Was she really wanting money for drugs? She said multiple times how embarrassed/ashamed she was while she talked to my wife. Certainly she didn’t want to wash my car at 11pm on a cold night. Was she just trying to get cash any way she could? Of all the places… how did she end up at our house? Had she been turned away at others? Was ours the first in the neighborhood with enough lights on to think she could get someone awake?
I’m sitting here now with my senses heightened. Every sound I here makes me pause and listen. Its just dumb that I am even nervous/suspicious now isn’t it? I really do hope that what she really needed was gas and a somewhat healthy snack for her little boy, she got that. I really do hope that she wasn’t really fishing for cash and taking anything else she got as spoils. I know that Jesus said to help people, that I think we did. Did we do enough? I am certainly not worried about “losing” $30 and some food even if it WAS dishonest, if it cares for someone. I just sit here wondering why I feel the way I feel. I am half on guard for… something, and half feeling guilty for thinking everything I’ve thought. I’m praying for peace from God so that I can sleep.
Can anyone identify with me? Help me process this.
What a dilemma this always is… I’ve decided that God called us to give, not to judge. (But not to be stupid either…) Ultimately, we’ll be judged for whether we gave or not. If it’s really a scam, they will be judged too…
Hebrews 13:2 says “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (http://read.ly/Heb13.2.NLT)
Matthew 25:34-36 also applies. (http://read.ly/Matt25.34.NLT)
As long as you’re not putting your family at risk (financially, physically, safety, etc…), then I think we’re supposed to help.
Thanks for sharing Travis!
You have no idea what your sacrifice did for her. Be encouraged! You may be planting seeds, or watering a seed planted recently. Also, you did the best thing by not giving her straight cash.
I agree with both Ronnie and Jenny. It’s great that you helped out that woman and her song, but better that you didn’t give her cash.
I’m sure it was awkward being caught off guard that late at night.
Well, I made it …. arrived in my Google Reader tonight, thanks to no football games, no soccer games, no practices, and Joy off at a “girl’s night out”.
But wait – I feel like I just heard this story? At BJ’s.
Travis:
I hope all is well. During my morning ritual of creeping on FB, I clicked on your page, and then clicked on your site. When I read “Some very non-technical thoughts,” I freaked.
Very likely, that same lady came to our house on Halloween night around 10:30 p.m. She was driving a green car that was very loud. She told the exact story: 1) she wanted to come inside to use the phone; 2) her night was awful; she was balling her eyes out; and 3) she needed gasoline to get back to Savannah.
I politely told her that she could not come inside, but that I would give her some gas money. Closing the door, I went to our bedroom to grab some cash. My wife looks out the window and spots a male in the bushes. At the point, we panic — we dunno if the lady wants entry into the house so that the male could then come inside, or if the male and female were having some type of domestic disturbance. Compounding our panic was the fact that this lady came to our house after we turned off all of the exterior lights and den lights (we were out of candy, and celery sticks ain’t too popular among trick or treaters). Why would someone show up at our house this late when there were no lights on?
I decided that I was going to give her money, but that the police needed to check out the situation first. Thus, I called 911. After 10 minutes, a police car drove by our house two times (never stopping, though I was on the phone with dispatch telling them to tell the officer to stop). After the second pass of the patrol car, the lady, child, and male got in their car and took off.
I was so bothered by the situation that I decided to find the car and call the police again. After ten minutes of driving around, I located the car at a house on the other side of my neighborhood. I called the police again, but an officer never showed up. After fifteen minutes of watching the lady at my neighbor’s house, the lady and child left. During this time, I did not see where the male was — he had to be in the car where I could not see him.
After they left, I approached my neighbors, introduced myself and discussed the situation with them. They told the exact story, and they were really bothered by the situation, too. I tried to locate the car again, but after thirty minutes of driving around with no success, I gave up.
What night did the lady some to your house? What neighborhood do you live in? Did she say she was going to Savannah? If you don’t mind, I would like to share your story, along with mine, to the police. I fear that something much more serious is going on here, and that DeFCS needs to check on this child. At a minimum, the police need to be aware of the situation.
Thanks.
Paul
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