How Great is your Trust to Strangers?
@blosiewinkz_16 (116)
Philippines
March 20, 2011 8:31am CST
A few minutes ago, a stranger asked for help to load his cellphone up and said that he'll going to repay later on -probably tomorrow. He said that he badly needs it for an emergency and the loading station in their area is way too far from home. At first, I hesitate to load him with a certain amount for I have no guarantee if he pays back or I won't be able to use the load that he'll going to load my cellphone up with the same amount if that's the means/way of repaying back.
I ask him what emergency is he talking about and he answered that his grandmother is having a mild stroke. The news alerted me, for if he's telling the truth, his grandma needs immediate medical assistance and an ambulance should be ready as soon as possible. I loaded him up and told him that I hope he's telling the truth. I called him up and told that he should let his grandma lie down flat or place her on a left side lying position if she's unresponsive or has nausea.
After the call, there are a lot of questions and thoughts battling in my mind. I do really hope that his grandma would be okay and that the stroke will just be transient or temporary. If I didn't believe in what he says (and he's really telling the truth), it would cause great damage on her and I would bear it on my conscience all life long. Life is more important here. But if he's telling a lie, I just leave it all to God.
In your case, to what extent can you give your trust to strangers? Do you just dole out things to those you do not know even when they'll use it in non-emergent or urgent reasons?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@sswallace21 (1824)
• United States
20 Mar 11
I don't trust anyone. This includes family, friends and strangers. People will take advantage of you if you let them. I've found this out on numerous occasions. I've lended money to family never to see it again. If the strangers grandma was having a stroke, you could've called the ambulance for him/her.
1 person likes this
@blosiewinkz_16 (116)
• Philippines
22 Mar 11
I also don't trust other people wholeheartedly. I have many doubts in mind but I would give them chance/(s) to prove if they're worth to be trusted. If they fail to do so, then that would be enough. I'll close my ears and hands for them by then.
@sswallace21 (1824)
• United States
22 Mar 11
I've tried to give people a chance. But I've always found myself getting burnt. I'm at the point now that no one is trustworthy but my husband. He's stuck by me through everything. Best Wishes!
@dzeanne (79)
• Philippines
20 Mar 11
If I were you, I would have asked him the details first such as his grandmother's condition, his location, the nearest hospital and I would have called the ambulance myself. I'm really curious about what happened to your story. Did he really return the load?
Personally, I find it hard to trust strangers because I've been fooled too many times in the past and there's this one incident that I will never forget. When I was 9 years old, I accompanied our maid to the dentist. When it was our maid's turn, she handed me her wallet and I sat beside a lady and waited outside the clinic. I had my gameboy with me so I decided to play with it while waiting. I put the wallet on my lap while I'm playing and the lady beside me kept talking to me. Then she suggested that she will put the wallet beside me so it'll be easier for me to play, and I just nodded since I wasn't really paying attention to her and my eyes were fixed to my gameboy the whole time. So she reached for the wallet and put it beside me. To make the story short, when we're about to pay the clinic, we found the wallet empty and you can already guess what happened by then. I was so frustrated and scared that my mom would scold me afterwards, but luckily, she didn't. Since then, I never trusted strangers.
1 person likes this
@blosiewinkz_16 (116)
• Philippines
22 Mar 11
Thank you for your response and for sharing some of your experiences. . .
I also grow up seeing many robberies, snatchings, and the like which made me not to easily trust others easily. I admit that I'm really hesitant to load him up but I just put it in mind that I'll just forget the loss I'll have if ever he really fooled me for if there's truly a life at stake and I did nothing to help, it would bother me more. :'( I don't want to have a bad karma later in my life. . .
Yup, I really have asked him about his grandma's condition and what she'd experience during the attack before I load him up. I still can't imagine the place their living in and how proximal is the nearest hospital for their location is really very far from where I'm currently staying. I never been in their island too. =0
I told him to return the load when I need it already. I can't really use it for I have a routine specific monthly load for my personal consumption. He just said that his grandma is now okay but they're still in the hospital.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
21 Mar 11
It is very rare that I talk to strangers let alone trust them ! I don;t know anything about the prevalence or distribution of public pay phones in your country b ut here in America they are pretty common and easily found. If I did stand around with him long enough to here his woeful tale I may have bought him the phone card that he was trying so hard to get, but I wouldn't expect him to either follow through with reimbursement, If he did get it back to me I would be pleasantly surprised but I wouldn't suddenly start being more trusting of all mankind or anything.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
20 Mar 11
I did same thing,trusting a stranger without having assurance of being paid back.
This happens when i am renewing my passport.
One young boy who seated in front of me asks to borrow money for the passport payment because he said he doesn't have enough money with him and that his dad is waiting outside,so he could give me back the money once we are out of the building.
First i was hesitant,but i understand his situation,once you are inside the premises,you can not go out,or else,you can not go back inside the building once you get out and have your schedule the following week.
I feel pity for him and give him the money he need to pay for the passport.
Then since there are about 10 windows for payment,i lost track of him (okay he get's my mobile phone number anyway)
After almost 2 hours i am done with my papers and was on my way out of the building.
Soon as i reached the gate,the young boy called me and says to follow him at the parking lot where his dad is.
So i did,it's safe anyway it's day time and parking lot is visible.
Then he introduce me to his dad and his sister and that become the start of a good friendship between me and the young boy's family.
Trusting or giving a little help sometimes give us thrice the price of good deeds.
@blosiewinkz_16 (116)
• Philippines
22 Mar 11
Trusting people is really like having a trial and error transactions with others. If I find the person fooling me, it's really hard to erase his/her face and the bad deed that has been done. It would really register in my mind when I happen to see the person again but I wouldn't mind it or be that vulgar. I would just leave it to the Lord.
I also have experienced that I left my wallet and/or lost it and I don't have the money to pay for the fare. I told the driver of what had happened and asked him that I'll just pay him back for the fare next time. To my surprise, he not only agree with it but also lend me some money for my second and last ride on the way home. I'm so touched with the trust he showed me and repaid him more of the what is due. Indeed, giving a little help will sometimes bounce back more than what we expect it.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
20 Mar 11
Hello blosiewinkz and a warm welcome to you to myLot!
Hmm that sounds a bit strange, especially since I saw your comment above about the person being on another island and you too were not together. I have to honestly admit and ask then how was he able to contact you? If he was able to contact you then he should be able to get the means to contact help for the grandmother.
At any rate I would be hesitant to provide the help the way you did, if anything I would say how about we 3 way for help and while on my phone we can incur the charges and this way instead of waiting of me to load phone and then you call I can call for help for you.
I have been robbed twice in my life and although I still give far too many "stranger" trust, I do try to be cautious when I cannot physically see who it is I am actually helping.
So in your case let's just say you did a great deed and let's just hope that it was not taken for granted or vein and the grandmother actually did get help.
You are a good person, see you around the Lot!
@iklananda (1202)
•
20 Mar 11
If it just for a dollar for calling i will let the stranger take it or i will give it away, but if he asked oftenlly or much more i will reject
@blosiewinkz_16 (116)
• Philippines
22 Mar 11
Yes, I agree with that. Oftentimes, it's really hard to give away when it involves much more. I don't have that much and I don't have the assurance to be paid back. It would be so bothersome by then. But sometimes, we just can't resist especially when life is at stake.
