I did a really, REALLY dumb thing a few months back. I now feel far enough removed from the situation to freely write about it.... so here it goes.
It was a warm, sunny day - and I had a little time to kill before heading to my next appointment. I decided to meander my way to my showing appointment by taking this nice little, winding stretch of road. As I came around one of the bends in the road - I saw a guy, a little younger than me, laying in the grass. He was wearing tennis shoes and running shorts. My first (naive) thought was, "He looks like my brother in-law who exercises a lot" - and who had just so happened to have been having some health issues about that time.
Without really thinking about it, I stopped my car - and backed up to where he was laying. He didn't even seem to notice. I yelled out of my window, "Are you ok?"
He instantly got to his feet and started walking toward my car. "No. I've been walking for hours," he said.
A little surprised that he didn't just answer that, 'yes he was fine - just resting', and a little nervous about him approaching my car; I asked if there was someone I could call for him.
"There's no one to call," he said. "I just need a ride to Shall Remain Nameless Subdivision."
"I'm not even sure I know where that is...." I lied.
"I can tell you how to get there," he said. And, he started walking around the front of my car.
I must have had a very concerned look on my face as he approached my passenger door. The window was already down from my joy-ride. "I promise I won't hurt you or anything," he said.
Stupid, stupid me hit the unlock button - and moved my purse from the passenger seat to the backseat.
"Tell me again where you need to go," I said.
"Shall Remain Nameless Subdivision. Go right when you get to the stop sign."
"Well, isn't Shall Remain Nameless Subdivision off of Insignificant Detail Street.... to the left?"
"There's a shortcut if you go to the right."
By this time, my heart is racing - and I, quite literally, don't know where to turn. Stupid, stupid me went right.
The shortcut was an even windier (Is that a word?) road full of trees and hills. It seemed like the 'shortcut' was taking forever, and I just kept waiting for the road to just come to an end.
Then he started talking.... "Thanks for picking me up. I just got out of jail yesterday, but it wasn't my fault...." I didn't hear much else after that because the voice in my head was screaming at me, "Tara, you are so STUPID, this is the end of you, you are going to die today, all because you had some free-time, you could have sent another email or two..."
"Is this you?" he asked, grabbing one of my business cards out of my little business card cubbie. "You're a Realtor?"
"Oh, great," I thought. "Now he's got my name and phone number - and he knows that I DO know where Shall Remain Nameless Subdivision is - or at least that I should know where Shall Remain Nameless Subdivision is or else I'm just a terrible Realtor."
Just as he started telling me how he might need to look for a house soon because he had been fighting with his roommate.... we arrived at the back entrance of Shall Remain Nameless Subdivision.
"Well, we're here," I said, my eyes darting between him and my purse - just waiting for him to grab that and run.
He thanked me, got out of the car, and thankfully - I've never heard from him again.
I now occupy myself until the very last minute and then speed on my way to my showings - blasting right past anyone that should choose to lay alongside the road. I might arrive a minute late, but at least I'll arrive alive.
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