A few minutes ago as I was sitting here catching up on some internet reading someone knocked on the door of my truck. It was a guy standing there, early 30s, wearing a white tee shirt, blue jeans, and a ball cap. He looked a bit agitated.
I rolled down my window, keeping my double edged knife low and out of sight beside my seat (truckstops are very dangerous places), and asked him what he wanted. He proceeded with a rather rushed story about locking his keys in his car, a locksmith, and a state cop. I could smell beer on him and before I could comment he admitted that he had been drinking.
He explained that the locksmith had used his car's vin number to make a new key but wanted $40 for it and the road call before he could get into his car, otherwise it could be towed and impounded until he could pay up that plus the additional fees for towing and such. He also said that he just lived about a mile a way and could be right back with the money.
A couple of things about his story really didn't add up for me. Mainly was the fact that a friend had given him a ride here to try and get the money. Why didn't the friend simply drive him the extra mile to get the money from home? Also was the fact that his car was supposedly sitting down at the next exit, right next to another truckstop.
Well, call me a sucker but I gave him the 40 bucks. He assured me he would return within 20 minutes to repay me, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Who knows? Perhaps I'll get a surprise. Either way, if he was telling the truth I couldn't see letting the guy have his car towed for the lack of a couple of 20 dollar bills, and if he wasn't telling the truth I'm only out 40 bucks.