I had a door-to-door magazine salesman who claimed to be a neighbor kid whose parents wanted him to get a better work ethic by earning money for a trip, but I'd never seen him around the neighborhood, so I'm assuming he was part of that whole magazine-selling scam that crops up now and again.
Anyway, he was persistent, and kept trying to push through my polite but firm "barely have time to read the magazines we already get" refusal. His last push was, "A lot of people who don't want magazines for themselves are buying subscriptions for our troops in Iraq. You WANT to support the TROOPS, don't you?"
My politeness disappeared. I've got a nephew who's served in Iraq and is getting ready for a tour in Afghanistan. I spent hours and hours on his care packages. I've sent Girl Scout cookies to the troops. I used to send all my used books to an organization that distributes them to military bases until the person running it managed to slam both Democrats and romance novels, at which point I started giving them to the library and Volunteer Services here at the hospital. Most of all, I vote for candidates who want to get our troops home and who I trust not to waste their lives in future unjust wars. I do not appreciate having my patriotism questioned by a door-to-door scam artist. So I said in my most acid tones, "I said NO," and slammed the door in his face. He shouted, through the door, "You should be more polite to a neighbor."
And you can tell him you will be, when one shows up.
I've heard lots of horror stories about the way they treat the kids in those magazine schemes -- things like holding their pay until the end of the year, so if they leave before that, they get nothing, and a whole bunch of allegations of physical abuse when kids don't sell enough.
I've heard lots of horror stories about the way they treat the kids in those magazine schemes
I can believe it. Both that guy and the girl who once accosted me when I was out for a walk with then-baby Annabel in her stroller gave me a seriously bad vibe. This sounds weird, but it felt like they were trying to threaten or intimidate me into buying magazines, which would totally fit with them being threatened or abused themselves.
I don't hate it, I just think it's overplayed. Especially since there are a lot of great songs on that album.
Like "You Know I'm No Good"
Standard answer for people who try to stop me on the street: "No thank you." If pressed by clipboard people, maybe "I just don't sign anything on the street." But I find walking on by to be very effective.
Like "You Know I'm No Good"
My favorite is "Me & Mr. Jones" or "My Tears Dry on Their Own". Oooh or the title song!
Good grief, hate those schemes. And could never ever be that person on the corner asking for a minute of your time, I'd go crazy.
My friend at work is going for a bra fitting tonight, and invited me along. Yeah, I don't think so. TMI for a work friend.
Hah--I ended up going with a coworker friend to her first bikini wax! Not in the room, though. Just to the spa.
I also like Liese's house. The tile floor looks nice (though I would probably fall down adn crack my head open)
I got hit twice last year and once this year - I am tired of it. next one is getting something alone the lines of leave or go away. And there are a bunch that will claim they are from a local high school. Interestingly, door to door sales are against school policy.
next one is getting something alone the lines of leave or go away.
You people are waaaaaay too nice about the door-to-door ones. As soon as they start their spiel, I interrupt with "No, thank you", and shut the door. I don't care if they're still talking at me.
