Hitchhikers

Random thoughts this morning included some on part of a conversation I had last night about hitchhikers, and that I have picked them up before. I definitely remember one, I think there was a second time also. I haven't picked up anyone hitchhiking on a freeway, but that's because by the time you see the person is hitchhiking there's no time to get over and stop. I was thinking about it, and realized (besides my trusting nature) I probably don't worry too much about hitchhikers because once when I was young my Dad hitchhiked with me and we were picked up.

- I was five or six years old. Dad had run out of gas on the highway. We were trying to make it to the next exit to a gas station. -

Then I thought, it's most likely Dad and I were picked up because he had a small child with him. Wouldn't you think a hitchhiker with a child wouldn't be the kind that is dangerous?

THEN I thought... actually it probably looked very not good because my Dad is quite White and I am not. And back in the early eighties such families weren't common place. (Though it would have been less odd than a Black adult with a White child, that probably would have set off a lot of "wrong!" radars.) So now I wonder if the man who picked us up was worried Dad was trying to kidnap me or not?

Then again, Dad had a gas can in his hand too. Perhaps the man saw the car on the side of the freeway, then saw Dad with the gas can and put two and two together.