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One day in Nebraska a car pulled to the road shoulder. When I reached the window, I saw two little old ladies dressed in their Sunday finest. "I know you're not supposed to pick up hitchhikers, but it's so far between towns out here, you feel bad passing a person," said the driver, who introduced herself as Vi. I didn't know whether to kiss them or scold them for stopping. This woman was telling me she'd rather risk her life than feel bad about passing a stranger on the side of the road.
—天，在內布拉斯加州，一輛汽車在路邊停下了。當我靠近車窗戶時，我看見兩個身著盛裝的身材矮小的老婦人。“我知道我們不應該讓免費搭車的旅行者上車，但是這里距離前后兩個鎮太遠了，對別人置之不理會讓我感覺很糟糕。”司機說，并向我介紹她叫維。我不知道應該為她們讓我上車感謝她們還是責備她們。這個婦人告訴我說，她寧愿冒生命危險也不愿意對一個路邊的陌生人置之不理，因為那樣她會感到不安。
Once when I was hitchhiking unsuccessfully in the rain, a trucker pulled over, locking his brakes so hard he skidded on the grass shoulder. The driver told me he was once robbed at knifepoint by a hitchhiker. "But I hate to see a man stand out in the rain," he added. "People don't have no heart anymore."
一次，當我在雨中搭不到車時,一個卡車司機把車開到路邊，由于剎車過猛，車子打滑沖到了草地上。這位司機告訴我，他曾經被一位搭車者持刀搶劫過?！暗俏也辉敢饪吹揭粋€人站在雨中，”他接著說，“人們如今太冷酷無情?！?/div>
I found, however, that people were generally compassionate. Hearing I had no money and would take none, people bought me food or shared whatever they happened to have with them. Those who had the least to give often gave the most. In Oregon a house painter named Mike noted the chilly weather and asked if I had a coat. When he learned that I had "a light one", he drove me to his house, and handed me a big green army-style jacket.
然而，我發現人們通常還是富有同情心的。一聽說我身無分文且也不會拿別人的錢，他們會給我買食物或者與我分享他們碰巧帶著的東西。那些最窮困的人卻往往給予的最多。在俄勒岡州，一個名叫邁克的建筑油漆工注意到了天氣的寒冷，問我是否有大衣。當知道我只有“一件薄外套”時,他開車把我帶到他家，并送給我一件綠色軍用大夾克衫。
