Growing up we all learn valuable lessons about safety. Don't touch the stove. Make sure you look both ways before crossing the street. Chew your food before you swallow. Don't talk to strangers (which, let's be honest, we all know I have a hard time not doing!) and definitely do not let a stranger into your car.
So why didn't I remember this last one this week? It all happened so fast and I must say up front that I WAS NOT THE ONE DRIVING!! Here I was, ready for a road trip with my friend from Spain- I think I was reaching for a piece of gum at the time- when the car slowed, my friend waved at someone I couldn't see, and before I knew it....a guy was getting in the car. Let me start by saying that I am indeed alive. No need to worry about my safety at any point of this recollection. However, I did learn many valuable lessons within the time we accidentally picked up a hitchhiker ( and by we, I mean I accidentally picked up a hitch hiker) and the time we dropped him off about an hour later. Before I tell the story, I'll have to give you a brief description about my friend who was driving. Her name is Solange and she is from Spain. She has been living in Ireland for three years now and has grown accustomed to the Irish ways of life. Needless to say I am learning a lot from her. And over the past few weeks, I have learned that she moves to the beat of her own drum, has a very Spanish temper when it comes to crazy drivers, can parallel park into the tiniest spaces imaginable, and doesn't always think before she acts. Hence the hitch hiker situation. I could spend a whole blog post on Solange alone because honestly you wouldn't believe how crazy this girl can be sometimes. However, I'll save that for another time. Today we are talking about the lessons I have learned from picking up a total stranger up from the side of the road. We had just let my gated neighbourhood -which is very nice and safe- when Solange slowed the car to a complete stop. Or more of slammed on the brakes! I know, that's a weird thing to do, but Solange has done this before - mainly to pull out something to eat, or check directions, or stop immediately if there is a Chinese restaurant (she LOVES Chinese food)- so I wasn't really alarmed. Until I saw her waving at someone. By the time I followed her line of vision, the guy was already heading to the car. Naturally my voice raised a few octaves out of alarm, "Solange what are you doing?!" She waved me off, "Giving him a ride. He's cute, no?" I was seriously questioning her sanity at this point, "That doesn't mean you pick them up!" Solange then hushed me as the young hitch hiker got into the car. Was he cute? Yeah sure. Did he look like a killer. Not really, but who ever really does? Was he carrying anything suspicious? Well, I was definitely eyeing his hiking bag pretty close. Who knows what could have been in there?! Anyway, before I could think to closely about the plot of Liam Neeson's movie Taken, the car was already moving forward and the car was quiet. Because even though Solange thought he was cute, and she is from Spain which you think she could talk his ear off, she can also be shy and chooses the oddest moments not to talk. And even though I thought this could be the way that I die, I can't help but talk. So before anything could get any more awkward, I did what I do best. I made conversation. So we talked. First it was about names. (You know, that way I would have a name to tell the police later if this whole thing went south.) His name was Ruben and he was from Scarriff, Ireland. Which is about 40 minutes from Limerick. He was my age and in very good physical condition, definitely not someone you could out run. ( You can be sure I was sizing up my competition and get away routes.) But the more we talked, I realised I wouldn't be needing to run anywhere or pull out the moves I learned from Jackie Chan in Rush Hour. We had only been traveling for 5 minutes and we were already talking like we were best friends. He was genuinely a nice guy and had good views of the world. We talked about his upbringing in Scarriff which is a very cute small town - but there's not much to do in terms of grown up activities, or so Ruben explained to me. " It was fine when I was younger and I could kick the football around all day. That's what all the kids did. But growing older, there wasn't much to do- unless all you wanted to do was drink. I don't know if you have noticed yet Marcy, (I let him believe that was my real name, far enough from the truth so he couldn't look me up again but close enough that I didn't feel bad for completely lying to him) but Irish people love to drink. There's more pubs in my town then anything else. And I'm not going to lie, I got caught up in that world for a while. But quicker than I got sucked in to the drinking lifestyle, I learned that I didn't want that to be my entire life like the rest of my close lads. I had to get out, so I took it literally." By this time we had plenty of time to talk because Solange decided to take this time to stop for one of her lunch breaks. But I was starting to understand why Ruben has callused hands and carried around his hiking equipment. He literally got outside, to nature. He climbed every rock he could, hiked every hill that challenged him, and participated in every race he could. Because it made him into the man he wanted to be. Eventually, Ruben decided that he wanted to help other kids get active and out into good activities instead of falling into the lives that would take them no where and in his words "the drinking life destroys families." So for the past two years Ruben has volunteered as an instructor and counsellor for kids all around Ireland and England. He says he loves his job and the kids he gets to teach. But what I wasn't fully understanding was this: If he had a stable job and a car, why was he hitch hiking? So I asked him. Of course he answered with a smile, " I know, it seems weird. But one of the biggest lessons I have learned in life is this. Just because you have money, doesn't mean you should spend it. Rich people don't get rich by spending their money. If anything they are the cheapest people out there. Needless to say I always try to live within my means. Also, sometimes I like to be reminded that there is still good in humanity. So if someone picks me up, taking time out of their day to stop for me, it's a kindness the world says doesn't exist anymore. And I do the same, when I'm driving I will pick people up. Of course I choose them wisely but I try not to base people on their looks. Honestly the scariest looking guy can be the one who is the most humble. So I really live by the whole, 'Don't judge a book by its cover thing.'" By this time we were reaching our destination and I was pretty sure I had met Titanic's Jack Dawson in life form. He had a good attitude towards life, didn't take anything for granted, and had his head on straight. I was honestly sad to know that our time together was coming to an end. I knew I would never see him again and that our paths will never likely cross again. (Unless Solange is driving, then who knows!) But as Ruben got out of the car with hiking gear in hand and goodbyes for a safe life had already been said, he had one more thing to say, " Life's a journey Marcy, and the cool thing is you never know the great people you are going to meet along the way." Needless to say, I told him my real name. Now I don't have any pictures of him. I don't even remember his last name. But good people like Ruben are out there. The moral of the story is that I learned mixed lessons here. No, I wouldn't advise stopping and picking up a hitch hiker. However, at the same time, not all hitch hikers pose a threat. I'd guess to say many of them would be grateful that you even stopped at all.
1 Comment
Jenn
9/26/2015 08:57:06 am
Marcy, If I haven't told you in a while you are one of the most amazing people I know!
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