WP Daily Prompt asks us to Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.

Lucifer by Franz von Stuck

Back in the Mid-1970’s I used to deliver newspapers on my bike, just like those kids did in the Black and White Sitcoms from the 50’s and 60’s.

It was a crappy job because if someone stiffed me for the three dollar and fifty cent tab I had to pay for it out of my route money. I would have to say that out of the 120 customers I had over a quarter of them never paid and the Newspaper ( It was called the Western Sun or something like that ) wouldn’t let me cancel the delivery because only the subscriber could do that.

So basically I was buying the newspaper for a bunch of bottom feeders every month.  I did it anyway because some money was better then no money and I was learning a lesson which has guided me through my life.

If people are willing to sit on their butts and pretend to not be home when the 12 year old kid who delivered the paper that they were probably reading at the time then it’s a good idea to never, ever and I do mean EVER fully trust another living human being.

Not your lover, not your best friend not the lady who lives next door to you and always smiles and waves when you walk by to get your mail and gives you banana bread during the holidays.

Anyone of them could have been that customer on my route or another kid’s route and anyone one of them could have raised kids or grandkids and spread that lesson on- that lesson  that  there are some people you can ripoff just because YOU CAN.

Those people were all strangers to me and even though they were thieves and low life thieves at that ( come on- they were ripping off a kid ) what I learned at their hands was a valuable and positive one.

I learned to be cautious, suspicious of people that I didn’t know and even the ones that I did. I learned respect  is a word that people like to throw around like confetti on New Years Eve, so just because someone puffs up their chest and says they are ‘respectful of others”  ( if they have earned it ) that does not MEAN you should buy what they are selling.

It was a valuable lesson and I’m glad I  learned it.

I guess.