I really, really, really shouldn't have done that.

[chess]

I just did a very, very stupid thing. But I'm here and still alive, so it's okay. I'm probably going to be in trouble, though. I took a lift home with one of the guys from college. I mean, I've known him for months now (almost a year, in fact), but I've only ever seen him at college, and so I don't know anything about him except from what he's told me; he *seems* a normal, decent kind of guy, but so do all of the people whose cars people get into and are never seen again. It was just because I was too lazy to get the bus.

I didn't get my extra time either, and did run out of time, but I didn't say anything. Mostly because I think I'd got everything down anyway and didn't want to cause a fuss for nothing, but I'm probably going to be in trouble about that too. And if I had've complained about that, I wouldn't have taken a lift home, because everyone would have been gone. And the circumstances weren't the uncreepiest because he did wait back for me a bit because I was on the last row to leave.

Gah, I can be so stupid and naieve sometimes. Thank God that He's looking after me.

Comments

[passage.livejournal.com]

I think you're being unnecessarily harsh with yourself.

Neil

easy now...

[maximus-o.livejournal.com]

If you have known him for a year, calm down lol...

[naath.livejournal.com]

hey, it's OK Chessypig, I mean, you know the guy. Besides... you're old enough to stick up for yourself aren't you?

[marble.livejournal.com]

Remind me online sometime and I'll tell you what I'd comment here if I thought I wanted to put that in a public place...

[ruhe.livejournal.com]

Ok.

A) I don't think that catching a ride with a school acquintaince counts as a "very, very stupid thing" - and if it does - I think I want your life.

B) How much do you trust your judgement of people as individuals? What makes you think you put yourself at risk? i.e. why couldn't he just have been doing a nice thing? If I have a car on campus, I usually offer people rides if I know they don't have a car and seem to be in a hurry...it's just part of passing on the wealth (and I appreciate it when people do the same for me).

C) Who are "all of the people whose cars people get into and are never seen again?" I don't think I know any of them. Perhaps you're being unnecessarily hard on yourself...

D) Who the heck would you get in trouble with for accepting a ride home?

[ahsu.livejournal.com]

I'm speaking from the point of view of a parent myself, chess.

No, I would not expect my nine year old to get in a car with a stranger. Yes, I will expect him (and his sisters) to make those judgments for themselves when they are 18. That's called maturity.

chess, the way you wrote this, I half expected you to be telling us that the guy tried to assault you or something! (And then I thought, "If someone hurt or scared chessypig, I'm flying to the UK to kick some ass!") Instead you told us that someone you know, and have known for nearly a year, offered you a ride. You told us that he seems "normal, decent." You told us that he may have hung back a little to make sure he could make the offer. That sounds fine to me.

It also sounds as though he might be interested in you, and there's nothing wrong with that, either (and if he is, it's entirely up to you what you do about it.) It often happens when a man or a woman sees someone else who is attractive (and that means personality and looks both) and intelligent. The person looks interesting, you find ways to get to know them a little better to decide whether to try and follow up on it.

I hope you don't get in trouble over this, mostly because you're a college student, and you're old enough to start judging for yourself. Your parents can't be there all the time to do it for you, and you'll straitjacket yourself if you only do things when they've approved them.

Oh, and I should point out -- your judgment of this person was obviously just fine. Keep that in mind, Chess! *smile, hug*