Saturday, June 20, 2015

No Solicitors

dramatic re-enactment

A knock on the door. John answers.

John: Hi, what's up?

Solicitor: Hello sir, can you help us out? We're selling, um...

The solicitor stops speaking. There is a brief pause.

John: Not now. We're having a physical therapy session.

Solicitor: Oh. Oh! Right! Okay! Bye!

Little feetsies hurry away.


I guess you had to be there.

Note to schools, summer programs, etc.: please don't make your kids sell door-to-door.

17 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Its not just the schools, summer programs its the PARENTS... Also if schools accepted cash donations, there wouldn't be knocks at all... As a parent who has gone thru this w/3..there were selling programs that I thought were over priced, and worst of all, I wouldn't even think of buying the product w/out the kid-cringing sales pitch.

Bellis said...

Oh, that poor kid! Probably thought "physical" meant something much worse. Wait till he/she tells their friends!

Petrea Burchard said...

KBF, if parents are sending their kids out to sell stuff, I'd call that abuse. If a kid needs a summer fine, let them get a summer job. But door-to-door selling is incredibly difficult and potentially dangerous.

And you're right about the products: crappy milk chocolate, ugly wrapping paper and, most recently, subscriptions to reputable publications via a disreputable "subscription service." The kids insisted they had to have credit card info or a check. How stupid do I look?

Bellis, that's what I'm hoping for.

Unknown said...

I never answer the door! LOL!

Kalei's Best Friend said...

@Petrea: "The kids insisted they had to have credit card info or a check." unbelievable, what happened to just plain cash?.. The schools are responsible for hyping the kids up.. they're promised prizes for whoever brings in the most money... Life would be simpler for the schools, parents and kids if the schools could accept cash donations.. school districts don't allow it... unless its in the form of a 'gift' to the school...The younger the kid is, its worse because they're so impressionable w/the prizes and come-ons from the company spokes person.. The good old candy bar we use to get for a $1 is or was raised to $3.. now its probably higher and the size has definitely shrunk.. same goes for Girl Scout cookies, those things have diminished in size. All I can say is, thank God for peepholes.. at least u can see who is at the door before u open it.

Petrea Burchard said...

I must learn from you, JM!

KBF, the point is, no matter how cute the kid is, I am not giving out that information. And yes, thank god for peepholes!

TheChieftess said...

Be aware!!! That doesn't sound like a legitimate school fundraising project. There are some dirty dealing rings that use kids to solicit...I never buy unless I know the kid, know the fundraiser (as in Girl Scout cookies and those yummy chocolate and almond bars for school fundraisers).
As for the physical therapy...I seem to recognize that apparatus...do you ever hang completely upside down???

Petrea Burchard said...

Yeah, I suspect these kids, especially when they come late in the day. I don't know if the kids know they're being used, but I was cheated years ago by the same "subscription service" and it's not going to happen again.
No, I don't go all the way upside down. I don't need to. A minor angle really stretches me out. It feels good on my muscles and bones!

William Kendall said...

I'm never home during the day, so I have no idea if this sort of activity turns up at our house.

Petrea Burchard said...

They usually hit us up in the dinner hour, 6pm and after. We have a peep hole, thank goodness.

Anonymous said...

We get adult door-to-door'ers, which is even worse. (Your house is so pretty. And what's up with the shiny floor -- what, do you polish it daily?)

Petrea Burchard said...

It's the light, Karin. The dusty parts are hidden under the furniture.

Shell Sherree said...

Physical therapy session. I love that. I'm going to use that, dear Petrea.

LOLfromPasa said...

That is just such a fabulous photograph. Gold star (to John, I expect) for 'seeing the shot' and taking the photograph!

Pasadena Adjacent said...

French doors and that light fixture -- ooh la la pretty

so is the recliner the one seen on TV with the old guy who jumps?

re- door to door. Our school put out an assembly in junior high where some organization got us selling door to door magazines. I even did door to door kitten giveaways... but where I come from tennis skirts rule, and unless those magazines came by way of Bullocks, not one dollar was ever going to cross my path.

Petrea Burchard said...

John has many gold stars to his name, Lauren.

PA, we have 91 years of previous owners to thank for the house's condition, including the original light fixtures from 1924.

Ms M said...

Ha! This would make a good film short...