"Trust No One"

Right after graduating college, my first job was in a department store warehouse which was on the fourth floor of a old fashioned department store in Newark, NJ. Here, I supervised 30 women in a checking and ticketing operation of ready to wear goods. All the items for all of their 6 stores came to this combination store/warehouse and were processed and then transported to the other stores.

At the same time I was working at Hahnes ,my younger brother was attending my alma mater, Rutgers, on the Newark campus. When his class schedule matched my going into work schedule, I intermittently drove him to school and he would take the bus back home. Rutgers and Hahnes were no more than a mile apart.

 This area of Newark was rough, but not dangerous. Although, I can tell you that I would practically run to my car when it was dark, ever vigilant for would be muggers. The area had it's share of wacky people, like the older woman who would stand outside of her apartment , smoking a cigar, while constantly spewing forth an obscenity laced diatribe at some imaginary enemy. All this while dressed in a pink sweater, all year round.


On this day, my brother and I arrived pretty early in the morning to snag a precious parking spot. There were parking lots for a dollar, but that was way more than I had to spend most days.
So they were are, in my parked car with the windows rolled down, on a sunny fall day, waiting until it was time for us to go to  class and work respectively. A guy walking down the street comes up to the passenger side window and greets us in a most friendly manner. But alas, he needs our help! It seems that he is on his way to work, but has no money for gas that day. Is there any way we can "lend" him $5 for the gas.

How will he repay us? While, he'll be sure to meet us right back here tomorrow, same time! I stole a glance at my brother to get his reaction, which was non committal.
The guy seemed so trustworthy and  repeated his vow to repay me the next day.
So, I handed him over the five dollar bill and he profusely thanked us. He reminded me to meet him right on the same spot the next morning.
Like a moron, I waited for him the next morning for over a half hour.
Of course, he never showed up.