I first heard this story in 1980 in North Wales. I believed it until I was
told it again a matter of days later. It is usually told as happening to a friend or relative...
A young woman returns to her car from a day's shopping. She had parked her
car in the town's multi-storey car park.
As she approaches the car she notices someone sitting in the back seat.
She cautiously checks the registration plate to see if
it is indeed her car, as it is a popular model and colour. The car is indeed
hers, and as she gets closer she sees that it's an old woman sitting in
the back seat.
She asks the woman how and why she is sitting in her car.
Did you know?
The tale of "The Hairy-Armed Hitchhiker" goes back to the early 1800s in Britain. In those days, the well-disguised axe murderer was said to have awaited his victim in a the back seat of a horse-drawn carriage.
More recently, the legend has resurfaced featuring an ersatz good samaritan in a business suit whose briefcase turns out to be loaded with weapons. It's 200 years old and still going strong – proof that a good story never dies.
Further reading:
Brunvand, J.H. Too Good to Be True. W.W. Norton, 1999.
Another Close Call at the Mall
- From your About.com Guide
Shopping Mauled
- From the UL Reference Pages
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The old woman replies that she had been shopping with her son and family but felt
unwell and returned to the car to rest. She obviously had mistaken the young
woman's car for her son's, as it was the same model and colour.
The old woman then asks to be driven to a hospital, as she is still feeling
unwell. The young woman agrees.
As she gets into the driver's seat something makes her very nervous about the
stiuation and she asks the old woman if she is feeling well enough to
direct her as she reverses the car out of the parking place.
The old woman agrees, gets out of the car and proceeds to direct the
reversing manoeuvre.
As soon as the young woman has the car out of the parking space she speeds out
of the car park, leaving the old woman stranded. She then drives straight to
the nearest police station and reports the incident.
A police officer then searched the car and found an axe concealed under the
driver's seat.
The young woman had had a lucky escape!
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