I picked up hitchhikers last week.
Preface: I'm proud to say that I lost no blood or belongings in the transaction.
A few weeks ago, I was driving to the seafood market (yes, part-time for another summer. If my work tenure was a person, it would have a 3rd-grade education by now.) I saw three blonde chicks walking along one of those back roads that eventually leads somewhere, but they were at least a mile from any reasonable destination. One girl's thumb was politely requesting a ride from the passing cars, yet mine was the first to respond.
I pulled over and asked the girls if they were seriously hitchhiking. They later told me they were from Eastern Europe, here for summer jobs, and they were hiking an hour to and from work daily, until they got bicycles.
Basically, yes -- they were seriously hitchhiking. And if I was 2+ miles from a boardwalk job where I'd be on my feet 'til 11 p.m., I'd probably try to catch a ride, too. Preferably from a female my age.
Luckily, I was early for work (one and only time), so I drove them all the way. They were nice, and hopefully we'll meet again sometime. Nothing good ever comes from hitchhiking stories, but I'm glad nothing bad came of it. (Still probably won't be doing it again.)
