The Zen of hitchiking

One important lesson came from hitchhiking when I was a teenager, and owning a (rattling) car in late teen years. I once passed a guy, on the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio, on a short trip to buy milk: which guy scowled at me for passing him up. As it happened, I was only going a couple blocks past where he was standing - he didn't know that, but I didn't dig the scowl.

We lived in the same community for a couple of years, and I never picked him up after the initial scowl. I had a car, he obviously didn't: I'm an easy going guy who would have given him a ride, and probably lent him the car once we got to know each other, but our first encounter informed that he was a jerk, or, at least, not very thoughtful and a hothead, besides - probably not good company for a ride.

So, lesson is: don't fear to ask, or offer, in public, but don't trash those who choose not to partake... they may well be assholes, but they may not be - you have no way of knowing. The trick is to be grateful for what's offered, and not be a jerk about what's not, especially since you don't really know why. I call it the Zen of hitchiking.