Helping a hitchhiker should have given me a warm glow of generosity, but ended with me feeling like a gullible shmuck, says Martin love
Altruism is a selfless act. So why did helping a stranger leave me feeling so foolish?
It’s not just that they see me coming, it’s more as if I have a neon sign hovering above me that flashes at passing hustlers so that they zero in on me like cash-seeking missiles – and I cough up every single time…I had stopped at the Swindon services while on my way back to London. As I drove up the slip road and back on to the M4, I spotted a man with a rucksack and his thumb out. I pulled over and lowered the window.“Ah, that would be grand,” came his immediate reply.
“These three lads in Birmingham took my other pack and it had all my money and paperwork in it. I’ve been sleeping out since then. I haven’t eaten in days. I’m hoping to get some casual work in London, so I can then get myself home to Ireland.” When Brendan got out of the car he gave me a huge hug. It had been a good night for him. As I drove the final miles to my own house in south London, I thought about what I’d done and what I’d tell my wife. A small part of me started to feel the cool wind of queasy realisation. Had I just been conned, again? Was Brendan genuine? I would certainly tell her about picking him up, but maybe I’d omit the part about the money – after all, it is hers, too.
Does this mean I have somehow reduced my “fitness” and increased Brendan’s? I certainly reduced the fitness of our bank account and I can’t say that my action as an “organism” has burnished my emotional wellbeing or given me peace of mind. I can’t pretend it’s boosted anything except my sense of being a hoodwinked shmuck.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘I am left with a deep, wordless sadness’: Anne Heche’s son mourns motherAnne Heche’s son has paid tribute to his mother saying the family had lost “a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend.” 7NEWS
Read more »
Anne Heche declared brain dead after car crash in Los AngelesThe 53-year-old actress’s son Homer told US media: “I am left with a deep, wordless sadness.”
Read more »
‘I am, in fact, a person’: can artificial intelligence ever be sentient?Controversy over Google’s AI program is raising questions about just how powerful it is. Is it even safe? By Amelia Tait
Read more »
As a cancer patient I felt dismissed by doctors. As a doctor, I am desperate for the system to changeWhen Ben Bravery began studying medicine after surviving bowel cancer he found something missing from the curriculum – patients
Read more »
'Accessible and relevant': NSW SES unveils new flood campaign in community languagesA new information campaign to help culturally diverse communities in Sydney's north-west deal with a flood crisis will help keep them safe, the NSW SES Commissioner says.
Read more »
I got a mouthguard fitted to help with stress-related grindingHairline cracks from clenching her teeth drove Stephanie Darling to seek professional help.
Read more »