Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Two Men Approach in the Dark

[Borrowing from Amy's & Seth's segment on Saturday Night Live, "Really?"]


About 7:30, already dark outside, and I'm settling in for the evening. Only one home out of four adults and one darling 7-month old. Dog, faithful Sam, lets out a horrific set of big barks that sound like he is saying in dog talk, "Something is NOT right." I have rarely heard that type of bark. I rounded through the dining room into the living room and he is facing the door, a heavy wooden door. The front door. I look around gingerly through a window and sure enough, not one but two guys whom I do not know are standing on the steps.


Really? Really? After dark? As if??


So, I follow rule #1: Never ever open the door for anyone you do not know.


They are in ADT shirts and have those little ADT stop sign logo like things in their hands on little sticks, reminiscent of songs taught to kids in Bible school back in the day prior to projectors. And man #1 says, "We aren't trying to sell you anything."


Really? Really? Then what are you doing on my front steps after dark knocking on my door with all that logo gear and a white notebook? Could this be Meals on Wheels and they moonlight during the day for ADT Security Systems.


Me: "I don't open the door for anyone I do not know."


Them: "We really are not going to try to sell you anything. Can we talk through the window?"

Rule #2: Strangers appearing after dark are not to be given opportunities to linger (and don't you be quoting me a "angles unaware" verse at this point.)

Me: "Not interested. I don't talk to strangers after dark," or something lame like that. I should have walked away with a "thank-you" at that point. My current and very effective security system is still barking...I mean BARKING at my side, perhaps why the gentlemen are standing back a bit.


Really? Really? After dark? Cold calling? Perhaps one finds more people at home. Does anyone really open the door for strangers still? And after dark?


Really? Really? Doesn't ADT's Better-Ideas-For-Sales committee watch the news and realize this is a bad idea?

Them: "You can try ADT security for free."

This ended shortly after that. I continued to explain my policy on strangers after dark immediately being stereotyped as predators. They continued to wedge words my way to turn a cold call, and getting colder, into a warm one.

I did not get the chance to say the only thing I need to say, "No thank you. Not interested." It would be so much easier and less aggravating to stick to my little script. It just bugs me: 1) Every part of life seems to be violated with sales pitches. Please buy. Our economy will stay crumbled if you don't spend; and 2) The door-to-door pitch people and especially the after-dark group. We all need work, but I can't help you if this is your choice. I don't want to buy more, own more, and I find what I want without a random visit with a random idea. Though I do know people, usually men, who do open doors and buy. You know who you are.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is hard to believe you can get scammed by this sort of thing, but we did.
We were emotionally and physically exhausted by this time of the day so we fell prey to their stories of what had happened in the neighborhood plus their pointing out how vulnerable our property was as it was empty and the house next door was empty plus you could not see the rear entry from the street at all.
Now we are in a battle to break the contract as it is not free at all. A regular monthly bill
arrives.
So we are in a mess. Don't give them the time of day :-)
Jane
Jane

Glen Peterson said...

Your blog is the prettiest. I want green leaves. But, if I did, I would have to purchase a security system from strangers at the door in the night. Hmm, how to find them.