No gentleman of the road
Page 15
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IT IS always embarrassing to admit having been taken in by a confidence trick, but I feel my mistake should serve as a warning to others.
Early in August I was approached by a lorry driver who had run short of funds after his lorry had been towed in following a breakdown. He was seeking casual employment to earn his fare home. His story seemed quite credible, and as an act of sympathy he was instead advanced his fare plus some cash on the promise of prompt repayment when he returned to collect the lorry.
As a cynic would suspect, no payment arrived. A letter to the address given found that he was not known there. The "employer", a firm of Lancashire hauliers, thought that he could have worked for them briefly many years ago.
The most worrying aspect of this story is that if only one man thinks he has found an easy way of "making" a few pounds this way it will make life more difficult for any driver who genuinely runs out of funds "on the road".
To preserve my reputation as a cynic.
"A MUG" Bristol (Name and address supplied).