If I could figure out how to post "25 Random Things" in Facebook, I would top the list off with my biggest pet peeve: solicitors. Buying a "No Soliciting" sign has been on my To-Do-List for years, but because I only like making lists and not doing them, it has yet to be done.
There is no sense of dread greater to my soul than opening the door to find a salesperson. Ironic, then, that I was employed by a sales training company before becoming a mom. Even then, I maitained to my boss that I detest door-to-door sales. I hate them for two reasons.
First, they always come at the most inopportune time. I'm running late to a soccer game, in the middle of nursing, just hopping out of the shower, etc. But because I've convinced myself that a family member or friend might be at the door, I drop everything to run to the door only to find . . . aaaaah, a stranger. A stranger wanting to sell me something no less!
Reason Number 2. I hate them for my own sympathy. Because I belong to a church that believes in selling religion door to door, I have an innate sympathy for anyone who goes door to door. My husband, a former missionary, is even worse. We are spineless jellyfish and our sympathy has compelled us to spend hundreds of dollars on miracle cleaners, magazine subscriptions, music CDs, discount cards, you name it.
Just this week, I have had 4, count them 4, people selling lawn aeration services alone! Not to mention the Schwann's man, two separate soccer players, a BYU student, a magazine guy from the ghetto, and a neighbor girl selling girl scout cookies. I said no to the Schwanns guy and successfully denied the aeration people. I felt bad about turning away the Timpview soccer players, but managed to do it anyway. And I convinced the ghetto magazine guy that the four magazine subscriptions I bought from him last year were already too many. (Which you should completely respect because it is very hard to shake those guys!) But the girl scouts are a conspiracy against humanity--you would have to be without a soul to turn away puppy-dog eyed little girls selling cookies, good cookies. So, I succumbed to the thin mints and do-si-dos.
But after this week, I am recommitted to buying a no soliciting sign. We'll see I ever make it past the "To Do List" phase this time.
