At least I am alive...

Sometimes, I don't make the best decisions. I know this. You know this. Today was a perfect example of this.

So, YayCoffee and I decided to meet up at Waffle House for brunch. When I got there, I saw that lots of people had a similar idea for this Sunday morning. When YayCoffee pulled up, I walked up to her car and suggested going to Denny's instead. As I was about to walk away, a woman in her mid twenties walks up to me. Here is how it went down...

Waffle House Parking Lot Lady: I'm sorry to bother you, but can you help me out.
MAV: *looks at YayCoffee*
YC: *is unreadable*
MAV: Um, what's the problem.
WHPLL: My car broke down and my friend sent this guy to pick me up but he must've been on somethin cause he started freakin and thinkin I was tryin to hurt him so I had to run away and I ran to this lady's house and she let me in and now I am here and I just want to get home and there is no one I can call because my parents are taking my daughter up to Oklahoma and I really just want to go home.
MAV: *is confused, looks at YayCoffee*
YC: *is unreadable*
MAV: Um, so what do you need?
WHPLL: I just need to get home.
MAV: *is concerned that home might be really far away, in the country somewhere and really just wants some waffles and for WHPLL to not be talking anymore*
MAV: Where is home?
WHPLL: Walnut, but I should probably go to my sister's.
MAV: *has misunderstood and thought she meant Walnut Hill (after two and half years, I still do not know Dallas) and doesn't want to go all the way down there.*
MAV: Where is your sister's?
WHPLL: Forest.
MAV: *looks at YayCoffee*
YC: *is unreadable*

So, this is where the internal battle really kicks into high gear. Let me first say, that WHPLL does not look like she is on drugs. She isn't shaky or twitchy. She isn't overly anxious. She is able to make eye contact and focus. While I have not seen anyone on crack or meth, I feel certain that she is not exhibiting the signs. She also is wearing clothing that would make a weapon difficult to conceal. Anyway, she doesn't look dangerously, just really freaked out and scared. Now, I know that on the one hand, you shouldn't give rides to strangers. But, as a woman, I would hope that were I to approach another woman and ask for help that she would help me. So, I really don't know what to do. On the one hand, DANGER, DANGER. But on the other hand, she just looks so freaked out and is about to cry and a stranger has taken sympathy on me before when I was freaked out and scared, so I feel I should return the favor.

MAV: *looks at YayCoffee again*
YC: *is unreadable*
MAV: Forest you say? Where on Forest?
WHPLL: Yeah. Do you know where the Alberston's is?
MAV: Not really. Is it close? Still in Richardson?
WHPLL: Yeah. It's pretty close.
MAV: Okay, I guess I can give you a ride.
MAV: *is really nervous now*

So, we get into the car. WHPLL is all groany, and I realize as I am clearing a place for her to sit that my laptop was in plain view. This could totally be a scam. Or she could be luring me somewhere to rob or kill me. But she obviously isn't armed, so I feel pretty good about my chances in a scuffle. Even if she has a knife, she seems like she might not be at the top of her game due to the scared/freaked out factor while I am on high alert. Plus, there is a LOT of fatty tissue to block death blows.

MAV: *pulls out of the parking lot and hopes that YayCoffee is getting the telepathic messages to follow us*
YC: *doesn't*
MAV: *hopes she doesn't die*
MAV: So, where exactly are we going.
WHPLL: Forest and Audelia, I think.
MAV: *inwardly curses because this is much further than she wanted to go*
WHPLL: *is all groany and grabbing her abdomen*
MAV: * wonders if WHPLL has a stitch in her side from all the running for her life, has appendicitis or is a drug mule and one of the heroin balloons ruptured*
WHPLL: Oh man, I am hurting. I don't know what is wrong with me. I don't know if I am pregnant or what.
MAV: I'm sorry? You're just not having a good day, are you?
WHPLL: groans.
MAV: *is puzzled*

We drive for a few miles.

WHPLL: My grandma lives in Garland.
MAV: *thinks, no way in hell am I taking you all the way to Garland, you freaky WHPLL.*
WHPLL: She sews. Like curtains and drapes and stuff. She make those drape things for the dog booths at PetCo. You know, those blue things. Yeah she makes those. For like 10 states. She is a really talented lady.
MAV: Oh, really. Wow.
WHPLL: Yeah. She made drapes for the coach of the Cowboys. Yeah, they were real pretty. The fabric cost like $500 a yard. But it was real nice.
MAV: That's nice.
WHPLL: *begins to groan again.*

So, we pull up to an intersection to get onto Forest.

WHPLL: Oh my God! I don't believe it! That guy over there!
MAV: *looks over at the guy, who by the way IS really twitchy and DOES appear to have a drug problem*
MAV: Is that the guy?
WHPLL: No, I went to school with that guy.
MAV: Oh?
WHPLL: Yeah. We used to play together. He always played the guitar. But the guitar...wasn't there...
MAV: Oh?
MAV: *really wish the freaky WHPLL would stop talking as the MAV is really getting freaked out at this point.

We drive a bit more...

WHPLL: groans some more, getting more frequent and louder.
MAV: Are you sure you don't need to go to a hospital or something?
WHPLL: No, I'll be fine.

At this point, we are nearing the destination. I decide that I should just drop her at the grocery store as that is a crowded, public place. I have watched enough CSI, Law and Order and Without a Trace to know that I am in an out of my control situation and need to get back control of the situation. I will not take her to any house or apartment and will definitely not be going down any poorly paved back roads. No way. I mean, she could be setting me up to rob me. Or kill me. There could be a band of crazed meth head waiting wherever we are going to steal my car, take my laptop, rape and kill me then reenact Weekend at Bernie's using me as a Bernie stand in. This was a stupid decision.

MAV: Sooo, where did you say to go? The Alberston's?
WHPLL: Yeah, that area. I think I should just go to my sister's work.
MAV: Yeah, that would probably be best.
WHPLL: Okay, see that burger place, pull in there.

As we approach, we see that it is closed.

WHPLL: Oh, that is bad.
MAV: *agrees*
MAV: What now? I really should be getting back.
WHPLL: Well, I guess pull into that mumblemumblemubleplaceoverthere.
MAV: *turns wrong*

At this point, I notice that a white van has made the same turn as me. I get into a different lane. The white van gets into the same lane. I turn into a parking lot. The van turns into the parking lot.

MAV: *OH. MY. GOD. I. am. going. to. die.*

The van pulls into a parking spot. I continue on, not killed.

MAV: *has had enough of this situation, this weird WHPLL and just wants to go to Denny's order some pancakes and not die*
WHPLL: I guess, just go to that apartment complex over there.

By the way, every time she tells me to turn, she waits until the LAST MINUTE so I have to cut across many lanes of traffic. Plus, she refuses to say left or right. She point with a small move her her right index finger. It is quite annoying.

MAV: Damn, I am going to fast to turn in there. Here. Will this be okay.
WHPLL: This isn't really my place, but this will be okay I guess.
MAV: *is getting irritated.*
WHPLL: Ooooh, do you see that lady over there?
MAV: *wonders why she asks if I can see people. Does she have the sixth sense thing going on or something?*
MAV: yeah.
WHPLL: They're looking for her.
MAV: Oh..... Okay, so here we are. Hope everything works out for you. mkaybye.
MAV: *pulls away really fast*
MAV: *calls YayCoffee*
MAV: I didn't die.
YC: Okay. I was really worried. I got us a table. Should I have followed you?

Over pancakes, we came to the conclusion that in the future, we give strange WHPLLs money for bus and train fare. In the event that rides are give, the other person will come with, or will follow. YC was worried I would be upset if she followed. I was worried that I would look like a scaredy cat if I asked to be followed.

I am real dumb.