9/27/16 Hitchhiking Females, Scary Aren't They?

    I could have just been a hero or a statistic about five minutes ago.  I was on my way back to work, when I saw one, the elusive female hitchhiker.  I always tell Wife they don't exist because as soon as they set foot on the road, someone offers to pick them up.  I have to re-evaluate my thought process.  A chick hitchhiking at 1:00am by the side of a busy highway is going to be intense and either running from a shitty situation or worse, heading to a shitty situation.  Honestly, the ponytail and the short shorts almost worked like a fishing lure with too much glitter, but then I got scared.  What if it was a set-up, what if Joe Idiot was waiting for someone to pick her up and then once I have her in my cab she pulls a knife and they take my truck?
    All the ponytails in the world aren't worth me risking my truck, plus I'm already working on a gimpy leg.  I continued on my way to work instead.  I do like the fantasy, pick up a stranger, she is so grateful she just lets you do whatever in the middle of the night.  But I know, the sad reality is someone with a bag of luggage and on the side of the road is probably someone who has been planning their escape and this is as brave as they have been.  "Ladies, if you didn't associate with BAD BOYS shit like this wouldn't happen." 
    Maybe as I am told by family members, I am too much of an idiot always trying to help people, but I couldn't help thinking the scenario through.  How far was she going to go?  I could have driven her to Bastrop, maybe she had family there, she was on 71 headed kind of that way.  Being a good person is its own reward, but the cons outweighed the pros this time around.  It was an odd time of night to be walking with a small suitcase along the road.  Maybe she was in process from changing from I-35 to 71 headed to Houston, I felt a little sorry for her, but again, first I make sure I am alright, and that means not picking up strangers and possibly opening up whole new chapters I was not expecting.
    When I was going to UT, I once picked up a hitchhiker, but he was about my age, and it was outside of Crystal City, my hometown back then.  Normally, I am very anti people who actually travel by sidewalks and slow car travel down, but the fact that she was female almost made me slow down and offer her a ride.  Good thing I am a puss.