Last Monday afternoon, I was at Movie Gallery dropping off a movie when I thought I heard someone yell my name. A man in the Pizza Hut parking lot was yelling at me.

I got in my car and waited to see who it was. When the man got closer, I realized he was a stranger. This stranger asked me to give him a ride across town, he even offered me money.

I have always been told not to pick up hitchhikers, but I have never been asked for a ride before either. At first, I said “no, I have class”, but the stranger persisted. I felt bad about saying no, so I figured “do a good deed.”

I told him that I’d give him a ride to UTM and that’s it. I got pulled over by two Martin City police cars. The hitchhiker jumped out of the car and two officers cuffed and searched him.

The man had been shoplifting at Walmart. I was fortunate enough not to be in any trouble and to still make it to class in time.

I have learned my lesson. Good intentions can be dangerous. I’m going to take UTM campus officer Garcia’s advice: never let anyone you don’t know in your car.

Amanda Young is a freshman Communications major from Dresden.