People Suck.

First, my apologies for not blogging sooner. I've had a bit of writer's block, and honestly, not very many good stories to share! We've had a fun and busy couple of weeks with family and friends - it has been wonderful!

Never fear, however. There was this one slightly weird thing that happened to us. But before I get into all that, let me preface this story by asking you to check out this link. It will better help you understand WHY people suck, and the mindset I was in when this scenario occurred. Make sure you click through all 11 of the stories. They're pretty horrible: http://news.aol.com/main/2008-year-end/article/most-shocking-stories-of-2008/287283

Okay, on with the story. So we had all piled into the Highlander (Wyatt, Tommy, me, and my parents) and gone to run a few errands off base. Right next to the base is an Exxon gas station. Tommy was all excited to get gas there so we could get the 12 cents Upromise gives us towards Wyatt's college fund. Of course - who wouldn't be excited?

So we roll up and Tommy starts pumping the gas and cleaning the windshield with those squeegee things they have - you know, the ones that never actually have water in them? Or the water is so dirty the windows would have been cleaner had you not even bothered?

I digress. So he's doing his thing, Wyatt is singing along with his annoying Elmo DVD for the 5th straight time, and I have a headache. Then I see this lady - about 50-something - roll up in her Caddy. As in, expensive-as-all-get-out, somebody-pimped-my-ride Cadillac Sport Utility Vehicle. Then she pulls up next to Tommy and starts talking to him. Okay, she's asking directions. No big deal. Then she takes his hand in hers(!) and, looking ever-so-sad, attempts -unsuccessfully - to squeeze out a tear. I mean, I think she actually stopped and blinked to try to get the water works flowing. And at this point I know EXACTLY what is going on. I just knew, with every ounce of my being, that she was asking for money. And she was. And here's where I got very, very nervous.

For those of you who don't know my husband very well, he has a heart of gold. But he can't say no to ANYTHING. This includes those deals in the grocery store that are "10 for $10" and he buys all 10 pizzas because he thinks it's a good deal, even though they won't fit in our freezer. It includes all door-to-door sales (we now have a series of children's books and unlimited oil changes...) as well as TV infomercials (we own 3 Ab-busters!). He's that guy who buys the upgraded warranty plan, and he ordered bread braids from some girl in our neighborhood one week before we left Iowa even though he knew we wouldn't be there to receive them! This is part of what I love about him so much, but it is very dangerous - it's as if he has a big old SUCKER tattoo right across his forehead!

So there was, at this point, a big old "DANGER! DANGER!" sign flashing in my brain. Apparently, the woman only had $37.50 in her bank account, and her mother was in dire need of medicine that costs $199. She needed money for her mother's medication and to get her through to the next paycheck. She even had to borrow her neighbor's car that day. Could Tommy please spare the extra money she needed to help her dying mother survive?

My eye roll was big enough that my eyeballs ALMOST popped out of my head. But just as I was about to get out of the car to intervene, she let go of his hand. Little Miss Thang pulled away, circled the Exxon, and hit up some other poor soul just trying to get on with her day. I couldn't believe it. He said no! I was so proud of him!!! Mu hubby is all grown up!

I have no idea what this was all about. Drugs? Debt? An actual real-life dying woman? It occurred to me for about 6 seconds that this woman might actually be telling the truth. And then it occurred to me that she could have easily sold those big-a** gold rings on her fingers to pay for the medication herself. I don't know. What I do know is, people suck. Maybe it's a coincidence that this woman was hitting up people at the gas station right next to base. A base full of Marines, all of whom are so selfless they give up their evenings, weekends, holidays with their families - and oh yeah, their LIVES - for me, you, our country, and this woman in the Cadillac scamming for money. And you can bet your bottom dollar that woman hit payday that day. Probably from some PFC or 2nd Lt. who gave her the last of his gas money. Merry Christmas, lady. You suck!