Last night I went to the doctor to rule out strep throat. That has nothing to do with this story, except that on the way home I made a detour past the mall. My car has a way of making superfluous detours; that’s its only redeeming quality at this point. Well, that, and that it still runs at 115,000 miles and counting.
At any rate, I was at the mall, on a mission to get the girls a few more pairs of summer shorts and get home before my husband noticed that I was squandering his valuable working hours to shop unfettered by children, when an overly friendly girl stepped out of the aisle and spoke directly to me:
“Hi! Ma’am! (I hate it when people call me Ma’am. Do me a favor and pretend I’m a Miss, especially if you’re asking for favors. K’thanks.) Can I get your opinion real quick?”
Because of my tendency to trust everyone implicitly, I initially made eye contact and smiled as I processed the situation. At second glance, I noticed that she was working one of those kiosks where they straighten your hair or sell tacky hair extensions or some such nonsense. She was actually working on someone’s hair as she called out to me, all innocent and friendly-like.
Now, I may be gullible, but I’m a mall rat. I know all about these shysters and their annoying habit of accosting anyone who has the nerve to walk past their kiosk. I nodded firmly and tightened my smile as I gave my usual pat response, which this time was utterly factual:
“Sorry, I’m in a hurry tonight.”
I looked away and sped up my pace, attempting to look purposeful as I sipped my No-Whip Grande Nonfat Iced Mocha.
It’s a sad day in America when you can’t meander through the mall, minding your own business, without being approached by salespeople trying to peddle their crap. When I run the world, I’m going to outlaw solicitation in public places.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
and I’ll be your first loyal citizen if you outlaw it at your doorstep, too.
Oh, I detest those at the malls, too. I feel for them trying to make a living but it is frustrating!
Do you have the girls (and guys) at your mall who peddle those tiny condiment cup samples of $40 nail cream? They’re like vultures!
What drives me crazy are the ones who stop you when you have kids with you. I’m obviously not going to have time to stop and talk about my skin, hair, whatever. And I will definitely not let go of my child’s hand so you can introduce me to the wonders of the Dead Sea Spa. Hate it.
I can’t stand the door to door solicitations. Sometimes I pretend that I don’t live there and say that I’m just the sitter. Ha!
Okay and when you rule the world do you think you could do something about people who forget to signal while driving??? Hope you’re feeling better!
Is anyone else chuckling at the fact that the post was about solicitation and then at the very end of it she soliciting us to take a survey?
Only Jo-Lynne can get away with that! lol
Jo-Lynne, I hope you’re feeling better. But I have to agree with the last poster above me – I had to laugh when I got to the end of your post and saw you were asking us to fill out a survey!
HA! I didn’t even think about it. Well, hey, you can ignore a plea in writing. I’m not invading your personal space and demanding a response as you walk thru the mall.
I pretty much hate all salesmen (well- I hate the profession, not the personnot personally, as my stepdad is a salesman and my husband is in fundraising, which is essentially fundraising) and the number one way to get me to NOT buy your product is to try and hard sell me on it. I don’t care if it’s something I really want- I won’t buy it out of spite. The mall kiosks are the worst offenders. I really hate them.
I was planning a post about this for TODAY but it may come tomorrow instead since I had to post pictures of my child today! If I want a product, I will seek it out…stop bothering me in public, on the telephone and in my OWN house!
I hate it when those kiosk people “attack” me in the mall! If I see something I like, I’ll look at it. If not, I won’t. Really, those aggressive salespeople are a MAJOR turnoff. Even if I see something interesting at one of those stands, I’m more likely to come home and order it online on general principle!
I hate those people. I scope them out ahead of time and refuse to even make eye contact. They’d have to chase and tackle to even say hi LOL
I CAN’T STAND those stinkin’ salespeople!!! They get on my nerves!!! When I’m at the mall, I wanna shop, not be pestered.
Shysters. I love it! And now I know how to spell it! Thanks. =) Those stinkin’ hand lotion people always aggravate me. Even when I am leading a wiggly 3-year old through the middle of the mall listening to a temper tantrum about why we can’t go to the toy store this time, they ask if I have a minute. Um. NO!
I agree with you 150%! I have even started having fake conversations on my cell phone when I walk past them, just to avoid being asked to try whatever it is they’re selling.
Interesting I would come across this – but I’d like to thank you for at least being polite. My 11 year old daughter made her goal to sell enough Girl Scout cookies to go to camp. Because of the crazies, we can’t allow them to go door-to-door, so the most sensible option is to set up a table in church or outside stores.
What a wonderful opportunity to teach manners to my daughter. We did nothing but stand behind or beside our table, smile, and occasionally say “Good Morning”. Perhaps “don’t speak to strangers” includes frowning glaring, and putting on your huffy walk when passing young girls conducting business. That.is.sad.
It used to be relaxing to go to the mall, but I avoid the mall now due to those kiosks and pushy people. I just find it to be really rude. And I’m so gullible…I did have to look it up in the dictionary.
I despise those kiosks so very, very, very, very much. I do avoid the mall for that very reason.
Agreed. I used to work in malls, and those kiosks have such high turnover rates that they never knew other employees. So they just bothered EVERYone!