Getting to Know You Question

I try to write my posts ahead of time. Sometimes I have four or five saved up, so every morning I just pick one and publish away. 

But since we're going to be moving soon, I thought I'd try something different in case I can't post a daily blog post every day for a while. Unfortunately our move isn't like a normal one. We're packing and moving our boxes ourselves over a two week period after we close on the house. Then on March 20th the moving company will come for the big things.


Since I've met (and continue to meet) amazing people on here, I thought I start a Getting to Know You post every day. I'll post a question, you answer and we'll get to know one another better. Simple. 

Feel free to copy any question I post and add to your site (a link back would be appreciated:) Here we go.


Taken from 4.000 Questions for Getting to Know Anyone and Everyone

Have you ever picked up hitchhikers? What happened?

I recently picked up an old man who was walking in pouring rain with his groceries, but he was hardly a hitchhiker. I don't think I would ever do that. But when I was about 5 or 6, my dad saw four long-haired hippies hitchhiking and said to me, "I know these guys," and pulled over. They all piled in the back and lit up a joint. We drove for a while when my dad leaned down to me and said, "I don't know these guys." For some reason I thought it was funny at the time. Luckily they got out at their destination.

Comments

Michelle McLean said…
I've never picked up a hitchhiker, but my mom used to give a ride to an old guy that lived in the town where I grew up. Sort of the same situation you described, she say him one day, I like he was trying to carry a big bag of cat food or something, so she gave him a ride. After that, she'd give him a ride every time she saw him, sometimes driving to the store and back home or any other place he needed to go. It wasn't always easy for her. As the mother of 5 kids, she had a lot of places to go. But she never failed to stop when she saw him. And when we moved from that town, he was one of her biggest concerns. He was heartbroken and obviously concerned that she wouldn't be there anymore - but my mom had spoken with one of her friends who promised to drive by the old man's spot a few times a week and check up on him, so we were able to move knowing he'd be taken care of :)

Good luck on your move!
Lisa Miles said…
That's so nice that your mom did that, even though I'm sure she had a lot of other things to do. My mom used to take an old lady home from the grocery store every time we saw her there. She lived SO far from the store, it must have taken her forever to get there. If more people stopped to look around and offer help to others, the world would be a better place.
Crystal Cook said…
What a fun idea Lisa! I really enjoy your blog it's great! I have never given a hitchhiker a ride. But when my husband and I where leaving the hospital a few years ago (seeing my Dad, kidney stones OUCH!)he saw a woman with 2 kids and heard them talking about how they couldn't get home they would have to walk. It was a long way to their home on foot and it was really cold. He said let's ask them if we can give them a ride, so we did. I think about that a lot and am amazed at how thoughtful that was and wish I had thought of it first :) Also last year for our anniversary we went out to eat, in front of the restaurant was a homeless guy panhandling for money when we went in. When we came out he asked us again, my husband said "We don't have any money but you can have our food." and he handed the guy MY leftovers. So funny. I love to hear how people help others!
Sarah Ahiers said…
i don't think i've ever even seen a hitchhiker. I ddi once pick up a lady who's tire had fallen off her car so she could use my phone to call the police. But we didn't go anywhere...
My parents so thoroughly instilled the dangers of picking up hitchhikers that I was always too petrified to do it. We lived near a long strip of land called "Eatons Neck", and teens to who didn't have cars would put their thumbs up, hoping to get a ride into town. But I wouldn't even help them. Recently, I saw a middle-aged man attempting hitch a ride in Cambridge, MA, where I live. He looked nice and probably had some sort of mishap. His expression even conveyed that he couldn't believe he was trying to hitchhike. Still, I didn't help him. I hope someone else did.
S.A. Murphy said…
I have never picked up a hitchhiker and probably never. I know I am not the good samaritan, but you cannot trust people now a days. Sorry in advance to anyone I pass on the road.
Lisa Miles said…
Don't feel bad, I wouldn't either. You hear too many crazy stories about good people trying to help, and they get killed or hurt. They had one here a while ago where a young 20-something girl on the expressway would flag down help, then when someone stopped to help, a guy came out from behind bushes and robbed the helper.
Jennifer said…
I have never picked up a hitchhiker. I'm too chicken. But when I locked my keys (and my purse) in the trunk of my car at Walmart I accepted a ride from another woman to my home. I really appreciated it, especially since I blanked on my husband's cell phone number. (I think the panic I felt made my brain stop working.)
Unknown said…
I've never hitchhiked or picked up a hitchhiker although I did stop one time to loan my cell phone to a woman who had several kids in the car.
cleemckenzie said…
I picked up about four surfers in Nicaragua once. The car was so heavy I nearly didn't make it up the hill and we bottomed out at every hole (There are more of these in Nica than you can imagine.) we drove over. Almost at the top the car gave up and all the surfers had to get out and push me the rest of the way up. They hopped back in and we coasted to the beach.

Don't ever tell my mom.
Sally said…
I've often been tempted, but never have actually stopped.... fear you know. My brothers, however, have often stopped to give someone a lift- they have never had a problem, and always have a great story to tell.
Erin Kuhns said…
When I was about 20, I was driving home with my parents' old Honda and I got a flat. I pulled over and no one stopped until I flagged someone down. I was relieved when a very nice French couple came to my rescue.

When I had wheels again, I decided to take the "old highway" home so I wasn't driving too fast with the little donut wheel on my car. I came upon an older hippie man who was hitchhiking because his motorcycle had clearly broken down. Without even thinking about it, I pulled over--something I wouldn't have done on a different day. But I had been SO grateful that someone had stopped to help me, that I guess I just felt compelled to do the same thing.

He walked up to my window and kindly gave me hell for stopping for a hitchhiker, being a young woman driving alone. I knew he was right and he said he was fine to wait for another ride. But I didn't know when another person would be coming along. He hopped in and I dropped him off about 10 minutes later, in the village. When he left the car he was grateful but told me to never be picking up hitchhikers again.

And I never have since. :)
Rosslyn Elliott said…
The woman I picked up last spring wasn't hitchhiking, but I could tell she was making an unplanned walk just by her location and the fact that she was carrying Walmart bags. We had a nice talk, though we were both a little shocked that no one had offered her a ride before I did considering the scores of cars that passed her on the local road!
Thanks for stopping by and joining my blog family! Looking forward to getting to know you!

No, I've never picked up a hitchhiker. These days it's too scary about the things that can happen! If I see someone in trouble walking along the road, I'll phone the police or other organization to stop by and help them.

Hope your move goes smoothly!
Kristi Faith said…
I did one time and he ended up giving me fifty dollars for the ride. It was about twenty miles. Though...my friends and mother all about lost it when they found out I did it. :0)

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