How many times have you seen a fund raiser of one sort or another for someone where a group is asking for help for someones bills or whatever? Mostly it's a poker run or bike related raffle or some other thing along the biking theme.
Usually they are looking for an amount to cover a months rent or utility bills or whatever.
The other day I was at a bike gathering and was asked by a lady to consider helping one of her groups injured brothers. She told me that they were asking for donations to help with day to day little stuff. Like a burger or a beer or a pack of smokes or whatever... She then handed me an envelope and asked me if I would give a buck. That was all she said. Would I consider helping. Just put it in and drop it in the mail. I didn't know this group other than to know they existed and see their patch occasionally as someone rode by. Asking what had happened to their member the lady said that he had been forced off the road by a car passing another car. A broken arm and leg with some road rash. And a busted bike.
The lady walked on to talk to some other folks and I got to looking the envelope over and thinking about it. The envelope was pre addressed. It had a note in it that simply said "hope your back on the road soon". While I was pondering this envelope a couple of couples came by talking about this same thing. One of the men was saying that it was an obvious scam and through the envelope in a trash can. Thinking about it the lady asked that I only give a buck. There was no one around to know if I did or didn't. I could easily throw the envelope away and go on. But. What if? What if my buck or two helped make it a little easier on some one that was down for a while. I have always heard that the little things make the difference. In something like this, especially where a persons pride comes into play, I could really see where anonymously receiving some cash would help. All I would be out was a buck and a stamp. I waste more than that everyday on cokes, crap and bad habits.
Then there's karma..... Well, I may have been "scammed", wont be the first time and doubt it will be the last time. I tucked a Ten in with the note and dropped it in the mail.
Just never know. I went back and dug the other envelope out of the trash. It might be a scam but it might make the difference.
Catch ya on the road
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1 comment:
Good Karma never hurts and this seems like such a little thing, but it could have such a huge impact. Never knowing for sure if you got scammed isn't that big a deal because ignorance is bliss as the old saying goes. If it felt right to you, it was the right thing to do.
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