All Episodes

January 9, 2025 9 mins

The episode explores an unexpected encounter with a stranger asking for fuel on a bitterly cold morning, prompting thoughts on kindness, trust, and decision-making. The story raises questions about empathy and the balance between safety and generosity in our interactions with others.

• A 5:30 AM encounter in a deserted parking lot 
• Meeting a scruffy man with a gas can seeking help 
• Navigating feelings of skepticism and instinct 
• Choosing to act on kindness despite concerns 
• Reflecting on how our decisions shape our day 
• Understanding the importance of perspective and empathy 
• Introducing a call for listener engagement and questions

Support the show

► Subscribe to The Scott Townsend Show YouTube channel --- https://bit.ly/3iV8sOT

The Scott Townsend Show Merchandise https://teespring.com/stores/tsts-2

Resources and Links
--------------------------------------------
My contact info:
LinkedIn https://bit.ly/2ZZ4qwe
Twitter https://bit.ly/3enLDQa
Facebook https://bit.ly/2Od4ItO
Instagram https://bit.ly/2ClncWl
Send me a text: 918-397-0327

Executive Producer: Ben Townsend
Creative Consultant: Matthew Blue Townsend

Shot with a 1080P Webcam with Microphone, https://amzn.to/32gfgAu

Samson Technologies Q2U USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone Recording and Podcasting Pack
https://amzn.to/3TIbACe

Voice Actor: Britney McCullough
Logo by Angie Jordan https://blog.angiejordan.com/contact/
Theme Song by Androzguitar https://www.fiverr.com/inbox/androzguitar


Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Scott Townsend Show brought to you by
Pizza man Productions.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Had something happen to me this morning that was very
different, very odd, threw meoff my game.
Oh man, so I get to work.
So here's how it goes I get towork 5.30 in the morning.
I like getting to work early inthe morning.
5 30, there's no one around,you can get stuff done.

(00:29):
It's quiet, it's peaceful.
So I there are certain thingsin the parking lot of the where
I work that have to be counted.
So in my my, from the comfortof my car, my Equinox nice, warm
Equinox it's 18 degrees outside.

(00:50):
I'm driving around this hugeparking lot taking inventory and
as I do, I noticed there's aguy and this little scraggly ass
little dog walking in theparking lot.
And it's, like I said, it's 18degrees outside and I can't

(01:11):
imagine why he's walking in theparking lot what he's doing and
he walks towards this car Iguess it's his car, uh.
So as I make it around theparking lot and closer to where
he is, he starts walking towardsthe car and kind of acting like
he wants to get my attention,but kind of not at the same time
.
So I just keep going because Idon't know what's going on.

(01:34):
You know this is a bad actor, Idon't know.
Uh, I have no idea what isgoing on actually.
So I drive to the other side ofthe parking lot and park my car
on the totally opposite sidecorner and I have some coffee

(01:57):
and a blueberry muffin and myplan was to.
I got there a little early,early, so it's not quite 5, 30
yet.
So I'm gonna drink some coffeeand relax and, you know, just
kind of wake up slowly andeasily.
So then I noticed he's walkingtowards me with a small little

(02:25):
gas can in his hand and I waslike, oh my gosh, what does this
guy want?
So I get in my wallet and pullout.
I'll give him some money.
You know, just get him, get himaway, I only have a dollar, get

(02:48):
him, get him away, I only havea dollar.
So he finally walks up to thecar, scraggly looking, and he
holds up the gas can, and so Irolled down my window a little
bit.
He goes man, can I get some gas?
I need some gas.
And I was like, oh, here here'sa dollar.
I hope this helps.
No, man, I don't want money, Ineed gasoline, I need gas for my
car.
It's cold out here.
I was like dude, I'm at work,I'm just about to walk in the

(03:16):
building.
If I don't here pretty soon,I'm gonna be late and I got
stuff to do.
Oh, come on, man, god willbless you if you give me some
gas.
You know, I'm thinking is thisguy for real?
Is he really needing gas or ishe going to shank me?
It's just he and I out here inthe middle of the night or early

(03:40):
in the morning, and so I sitthere and I just can't believe
I'm in this position.
So I rolled down my window somemore.
I said, okay, give me your gascan, and I'll go give me.
It's a little gas can.
Give me your little gas, can,I'll go get some gas.
Oh, man, thank you.

(04:01):
Yeah, blah, blah, blah, that'slike.
So then I try to roll back mywindow up.
Roll my window back up and itwon't roll up.
I guess it was so cold, uh, themotor froze or was freezing or
something, I don't know anyway.
So he starts trying to help meget my driver's side window up
and I was like don't, don't,don't, don't, don't worry about

(04:22):
it, I'll get it, I'll get it,don't worry.
So I drive off and as I driveoff, the window starts to go up.
So now it's five, 30.
And so now I'm officially lateon an errand for somebody I
don't know.
And so I get to the gas stationand I I get the gas.

(04:44):
I bought $10 worth of gas, putthe gas in his little tank and
there was some left over.
So I opened up my car tank gascap for the rest of the gas in
my car, got his little gas canall tightened up there and in

(05:05):
the car.
Off I went, I forgot to put thegas cap and the cap gas cap
cover on my car, which my wifediscovered later on today.
So I get to work and uh, I pullup close to him.
But I didn't want to get tooclose so I just stopped, opened

(05:29):
up the door, left the gas can uhon the pavement there, closed
the door and parked in my usualparking space and uh went inside
and I was totally thrown off mygame.
I don't know what I'm doing.
It's too early in the morning.

(05:51):
I haven't even had my first cupof coffee yet and I'm trying to
decide should I help, should Inot?
Should I fight or flight?
Or you know what should I do?
How should I do it?
And I don't function that wellin the morning at 5.30 without
coffee first, in a situationlike that, probably any time,

(06:16):
but especially at 5.30 in themorning and it's 18 degrees
outside.
So that was my day.
And then things just didn'tquite go to plan.
Things didn't quite go to planlike I had thought they would.
I was a little irritable thismorning, very irritable actually

(06:39):
.
Draven.
One of my colleagues remindedme that uh, I told her one time
that you know, you can be madfor five minutes and after
that's up and you quit being mad.
So she looked at me and said youknow what?
It's good for the goose, goodfor the gander.
So you can be mad for fiveminutes.

(07:00):
But after that got straightenedup, so I did and, uh, it was a
little bit better day, butthat's how my day started, yeah,
yeah, I was all ready for agood little day and that
happened.
What would you have done in mysituation?
Would you try to give him cash?

(07:22):
Would you let him in the car?
Would you get the gas for him,like I did?
Or would you have donesomething else called police?
I don't know.
There's a lot of things that Icould have done.
Um, but I'm telling you what Idid.
I'm not saying it's the rightthing to do, it's just what I
did.
So just wearing me out.
So, anyway, I hope that littledog got warm.

(07:45):
What was he doing out at 530 inthe morning, anyway?
And why did he run out of gas?
One person told me he must havebeen so desperate to try to get
somewhere like a drug house orsomething that he was willing to
roll the dice and hope he makesit.
And he didn't make it and woundup in our parking lot.

(08:06):
So who knows, don't know, it'spurely speculation, conjecture,
but he was a rough little dude.
Anyway, that's what I did.
That's my story.
I'm sticking to it.
Thanks for listening.
Yeah, send me an email, scott,at Scott Townsend dot info.

(08:27):
Tell me what you would havedone or if you have a question.
I thought I might start asking,answering questions people have
, if you have a questions youwould like answered, and then
we'll see how that goes.
But anyway, future guests arecoming up and it's 2025.
It's a great year.
Thanks for listening.

(08:48):
Enjoy your drive or your jog oryour walk or walking the dog or
whatever you're doing.
This is Scott Townsend.
Thanks for listening to theScott Townsend Show.
Have a great day.
Everything's going to be allright and we'll talk to you
later.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
The Scott Townsend Show is a Dietz-O-Man production
.
For more episodes, visit theScott Townsend Show is a
Dietz-O-Man production.
For more episodes, visit theScott Townsend Show YouTube
channel.
Listen on Apple Podcasts orwherever you listen to your
favorite shows.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

True Crime Tonight

True Crime Tonight

If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.