I stopped at a gas station last night after work to fill up my tank. While I was pumping gas, a guy walked up to me and asked if he could borrow my phone to make a quick call. He looked a little disheveled and didn’t explain why he needed it, which immediately made me a bit wary.

I told him, “Sorry, I don’t feel comfortable handing over my phone.” He got annoyed and said, “Wow, really? It’s just one call. You can even hold it while I talk.” I apologized again but stuck to my decision.

He muttered something under his breath about people being selfish and walked away. I kept an eye on him as I finished pumping gas, and he eventually went into the station store.

I felt bad afterward—what if he really needed help? But at the same time, it’s my phone, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be cautious, especially at night.

Was I being too paranoid, or was it fair to say no in that situation?