(no subject)

[dchenes]

It's ten till midnight. I'm sitting here in my living room, trying to think about Chateaubriand, and somebody starts pounding on my front door. Turns out it was a guy who said he'd been locked out of his friend's apartment and wanted money for a hotel. He was nice about it, and I don't have any money, and nothing untoward happened, but now I still wonder "what if...".

He had a lit cigarette and now my hair smells like secondhand smoke. I guess I take a shower before I go to bed.

Comments

[kalessin.livejournal.com]

This sounds a lot like a scam artist at work. We occasionally used to get them at Toscanini's Ice Cream in Central Square. Their version was a little different, usually that their car was getting towed, but if they gave the tow driver $50 _right away_, they could save their car from being towed away, and then they'd return the money afterwards, getting it from a friend or the ATM or something.

One employee (after I was no longer working there) actually gave one of these guys $50. The in-house newsletter suggested a better reply. "Wow, dude, I'm sorry to hear your car's been towed. Good luck getting it back."

It may be different than your situation, and I may be a jaded city boy at this point, but if a stranger starts ringing my doorbell with a story like that at midnight, then I say "I'm sorry, I don't know you. Please go call another friend from the payphone around the corner." If they're in the least threatening, I'd call the cops right away.

The fact that he was looking for help with a lit cigarette in his hand is kind of sketchy. When you're really desperate for help, social instinct is to present your least offensive and most "normal" appearance.

Pounding at your door

[(Anonymous)]

You shouldnt even open your door at that
late hour for someone you dont know.
-Flynn