What Would You Do?!? - The Gas Station PanHandlers.

[Editor's Note: I tweeted about this a few weeks ago. Strangely, I saw this same car/guy at the gas station just yesterday, so I had to bring this back up. Plus, ya'll already know how I feel about panhandlers.]

So, I'm pumping gas at this station around the corner from The Day Job. It's an uncharacteristically cold and rainy Fall afternoon in DC. More specifically, it's like low 40's and a monsoon. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy (not that I have any) to be stuck in this sorta weather.

So, when a young, well-dressed sister walks up to me and asks for some gas money because she's stranded and needs to get home, I don't hesitate. She doesn't give off a crackhead vibe, she speaks good English, and she really looks like she's just in dire straits. I pull out my wallet, and without really thinking, give her my last $5.[1] I'm just from the country, and still hella naive generous like that.



She takes it, without so much as looking back at me or saying a simple "thanks" and walks off. I'm like "whatever", and keep pumping my gas.

She takes my $5 and goes over to her car, where she proceeds to pull start pumping gas. I suddenly notice that there's a grown assed man sitting behind the wheel (the windows of this late model Pontiac were darkly tinted). He appears to be laughing and playing around on a SideKick.

My Negro Antennae go up because:

1) What sorta "man" gets himself and his girl/wife/babymama stranded on a cold and rainy day because he has no gas money?

2) What sorta "man" drives around in a late model Pontiac, and has a data plan for a SideKick, but has no gas money?

3) What sorta "man" makes his girl/wife/babymama troll around a gas station parking lot for gas money in the cold rain while he sits his ass inside and plays with a phone?

4) What sorta "man" sits his ass inside the car and plays with a phone while his girl/wife/babymama pumps gas on a cold and rainy day?

Suddenly, none of this sh*t is adding up.

I finish filling up my car, and realize they're still pumpin'. Last time I checked, $5 didn't buy you a tankful of gas. And the girl has cash, but hasn't walked inside to pay, although there's clearly a "pay first" policy at this station. I get back in my car, and watch from afar as the girl finishes pumping her gas (this takes, like, another 5 minutes), the car starts and pulls off. Oddly, they drive to the far end of the parking lot, the car stops, and the girl gets out and walks off in the pouring rain, while the car pulls off and goes in the opposite direction.

I know I have just got GOT, but I have no idea how. All I know is I want my "two dollars!!!" damn $5 back, and somebody is bout' to give it to me.

Question: What Would YOU Do? What exactly just happened? How did I get GOT? Would you run this broad down in the rain and demand your $5 back, or charge it to the game?

[1] By "my last $5", I mean "the only cash in my wallet". Just clarifying. I didn't steal my gas either.