I was leaving the parking lot tonight after a haircut appointment when a middle-aged guy in a new-ish number 34 Packer's shirt flagged me down, looking a bit desperate. I rolled down my car window and he said "do you live around here?"
"Why?" I asked and he rushed on to say, "do you know where Wisconsin Rapids is?"
"Well, vaguely..."
"The thing is, I live in Wisconsin Rapids and I got a call that my daughter was in a car accident 4 hours ago, and I just grabbed my grandson and my wife, and, well we got here but have no gas. I am about to sell my wife's wedding ring. I have collateral up the wazoo, but..."
I usually have no idea what is in my purse, but having temporarily lost my work ID this morning, I had gone through the entire thing searching for it. Since then, I had spent $2 for organic eggs from our medical consultant at work. I knew I had a $20 and a $1, and I knew right where they were. Leaving my purse on the passenger seat, I told him "I don't have any cash except for some emergency parking money." I pulled out a bill and handed it to him. He took off, as I cruised slowly from the parking lot. I waited to catch a glimpse of him getting into the car with his wife and grandson. Instead, I saw him grab a bicycle and wheel it away from the wall where it was leaning. I totally believed him...but at least it was only a dollar.
