The other day, while the missus took the doggo to the park for an evening walk, I seized the moment.

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

The other day, while the missus took the doggo to the park for an evening walk, I seized the moment. Because the front door was already open, I took advantage of it, and started to put out the trash.

I make sure they are properly tied up before chucking them one by one in the two trashcans I have in front of the house near the street.

These are big trash bags, but not much of a problem for my heavy frame. Throw one in... Then lift the other...

When a car was stopped...

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"Hey you need help with that!?"

The suddenness, the accent of the person, the very words, kinda took me aback for a nanosecond.

Now let me explain something to you. In Puerto Rico, while not really a dangerous place, relatively, if an unknown car stops in front of your house, all kinds of alarms go off in your head. Most of the time it's someone asking for directions, but getting mugged, or kidnapped, isn't unheard of.

You gotta be careful.

Except...

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

As I looked in the car, relatively new, I saw inside two young ladies.

My brain alarms were really going off, "DANGER! DANGER!" LOL

I thought, "What the actual fuck? Why would i need help with trash? And who asks that!?"

Then I thought, "These girls ain't from around here, like not even from the island."

"I'm fine!", I shouted back, "I got this, don't you worry!"

i thought maybe the girls where just having a weird laugh, or on a dare, or something.

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"Can I ask you something?"

I had expected the girls to keep going but they had remained. And the driver had completely rolled down their window.

"What's your name!?"

And again the alarm bells went off, I wondered how long until the missus came back.

"afreytes is the name, are YOU guys ok? Do YOU need help?"

"We are looking for someone..."

Alarm bells again...

"We are looking for Miss Such And-Such"

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"I'm sorry, fam... I don't know her."

"We're looking for street Such-and-such"

When they said this I knew the where in the right neighborhood, but on the wrong side of the neighborhood. Because the neighborhood is actually between "counties" the streets have a different naming convention depending.

"Ah, I don't know the street myself, but you're pretty close. Let me see if I can pull up the map on my phone real quick."

"We tried that, but Google can't find it!"

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

I tried, to no avail. The girls were telling the truth.

"I see, I can't find it either, sorry."

"Oh, you're so nice, thank you, we will try calling Miss Such to see if she can direct us..."

Small alarm bells, why didn't they call her earlier then?

"Listen guys, you're pretty close, but you see there are 4 neighborhoods here, all connected, and all have a pretty similar name. Make sure you get the correct hood name from Miss Such. OK?"

I thought that would end it...

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"Can we ask you something else?"

I steeled myself. Here we go.

I didn't think they were going to "offer services" because they were well dressed but they didn't look like sex workers. But for sure I thought they would be asking for money, next. Something about wandering around in the car and being low on gas. Hey at least it wasn't a gun-point mugging...

...

IDK... Maybe it was worse? LOL

"What church do you go to, sir?"

...

Me subió y me bajó

The fuck!?

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"I don't visit any church for more than 30 years.", I actually laughed.

The girl said, "But... You are so nice! You tried to help us... Looked on your phone and everything."

I said, "Well, trying to help has nothing to do with going to church. I'd like to be as kind as possible with as many people as possible. Religion has no role in that."

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"Well sir, The Church of So and So will forever welcome you. And we hope that you visit us someday!"

Everything clicked right then.

These were missionary girls from South America. And the Miss Such and Such they were looking for was their mission. They were gonna get Miss Such and Such to go to church. Their church. And they figured they could get me too.

"Thanks, but I don't think so. I respect your beliefs, but I don't need any myself."

[afreytes@mastodon.gamedev.place]

"You're still welcome at the church. Please visit us someday!"

Yeah... Nope!

I almost wish they had mugged me instead, LOL

Come to think of it, getting mugged once is cheaper than a lifetime of churchgoing.