On a September afternoon I was hiking through a large wildlife refuge on my day off. The refuge isn’t a state park where I work but I’m familiar with its layout. It features four trails of varying difficulty all looping back to the same starting point.
That day I had just about completed the toughest trail, 16.5 miles of challenging terrain when I heard screaming ahead that sounded genuinely alarming. I ran to investigate.
What I found were two women a mother and daughter on one of the easier trails. The mother, seated on a rock, was the source of the wailing. Concerned I asked what was wrong and they explained that the mother had developed a blister after about a mile and a half of walking.
I offered supplies from my well-stocked first aid kit including blister bandages but instead of taking them she stuck her foot out expecting me to treat it for her.
That wasn’t something I was willing to do. I offered the supplies again but her response turned to crying and complaining. The daughter then chimed in demanding I assist her mother. I politely declined and placed some blister bandages nearby before preparing to leave. Then the mother rudely demanded water. I carry a hydration pack with a bite valve and sharing it wasn’t an option so I declined that as well.
What happened next left me stunned. The mother got up threw her arm around my shoulders and leaned her full weight on me expecting me to help her walk back. She was easily twice my weight and the sudden move wrenched my back.
I quickly moved away causing her to lose her balance slightly. She didn’t fall but I’d had enough. I told them we were less than a mile from the parking lot and if she truly couldn’t walk due to a blister they could call for professional assistance. At this point I’d had it and let a few curse words slip.
Their reaction? Furious accusations of abandonment name-calling and even being labeled fatphobic. The mother continued to scream as I walked away though the daughter eventually quieted. Once back at the parking lot I stopped by the refuge’s office where I know the staff to inform them about the situation. I left it in their hands.
When I recounted the story to friends later opinions were divided. Some said I did nothing wrong since I wasn’t obligated to provide the level of help they expected. Others argued that given my job in the state park system I had a moral duty to assist them.
To me this situation crossed into entitlement. I was willing to help with supplies but I wasn’t obligated to cater to unreasonable demands or risk my safety. A blister isn’t a wilderness emergency and less than a mile from the trailhead they had the resources to manage themselves.
