Good story

[OBE]

He walked in with the "look".

The look someone has on their face when they come into the airport and have NO clue as to where to go or what to do.

He was about 5'9", about 30-40 pounds overweight and balding. He looked about 38-42 years old. I was immediately drawn to help him.

"Can I help you sir?" I asked as I walked toward him.

"Yes, where is the counter for ___ airlines?" He almost looked frantic.

I explained to him, that at 6 am, most international companies were not open at our airport.

He blurted out, "my girlfriend is in trouble and I'm trying to help her".

He went on to explain that she was coming from Africa and was stopped by customs in London. She had her inheritance with her..

Discernment bells began to go off and I, very gently said, "sir, you do not have to tell me this but how long have you known this woman?"

He said, "a little over a month". His pained expression told me he knew what I was about to say.

"I'm just gonna advise you that this smells very much like a scam that I have seen over and over again". He was shaking his head yes as I said it.

"I just want to advise you sir that if she tells you that she is stuck and needs money, it's probably a scam"..I felt so much compassion for him. You could see he was conflicted.

"I know, I know", he chimed in. "I just want to see if she made it through so I can pick her up and if she didn't, I will cut my losses" (did you catch that?)

I advised him when to return and he left. A lonely man, who was being scammed but who was willing to roll the dice for one chance it might be real..

I thought about how a human being can become "invested" in believing something because of their need.

How easy it seems for us to chose a path based upon our wants and needs, as we hope truth will follow our earnest desire.

Yet, it is usually when we build truth to "fit" our need that we embrace a situation for a "possible truth".