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The door bell rang unexpectedly three times in three days. The first on Wednesday, was a couple high school kids trying to drum up some window washing jobs. They seemed like good kids, and after telling them I already had cleaners, I felt sort of bad sending them away empty handed. I hope they get some jobs in the neighborhood.
The second ring, on Thursday, was from a guy selling exterminator services. Pretty quickly he launched into his spiel, dropping names of neighbors, and asking leading questions. I sent him away politely and with a minimum of effort.
The third ring came Friday evening at 7:40, and was another salesman. He just started talking. I interrupted, asking him, what have you got? It was another bug guy from the same company as the day before. Then he was right back at it, asking me questions that I had no intention of answering, even talking over me as I tried to explain that we already had a service contract with another provider. So I spoke louder, and that’s when he said I wasn’t very nice. There were a few more words, then he asked if I had a bottle of water. I said no, and shut the door.
If my brain were a bit more efficient, I would have better articulated my annoyance with him. I’d have told him that it was too late in the day to knock on my door, that I was standing there in the same clothes I planned on wearing to bed, that he didn’t introduce himself or tell me who he represented, and he sure as heck didn’t first ask for my permission to ask me questions that weren’t any of his business to begin with. On top of all that, he was interrupting an episode of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast on Netflix. I wonder if he sold a pesticide to deal with door to door salesmen.
Our 55+ subdivision is quickly filling with new homes and residents, so I suppose we are fertile ground for door to door marketing. As people age, many become more susceptible to shady sales techniques. Also, it’s not safe to open our doors to strangers. This week, we will install a “no soliciting’ yard sign, and begin shopping for a video doorbell.
And does anyone know how to attack train a balinese kitty cat? Sick ‘em, Sophie!
The bug guy was at my door yesterday. He had been here about 2 months ago and I reminded him I was not interested then and not interested now. as the young retiree in the neighborhood, it is rather depressing.
I have an attack Dachshund. She will have your shoes untied in about 20 seconds.
This is funny, thank you. I let one play out recently with window replacement. The project manager came out after I was “qualified” by the nice door-to-door salesman and his boss-and both were very polite. I wanted to get the scoop on how they replace windows. The project manager came out and we spent 15 or so minutes talking about windows and the next 60 minutes talking cars! I did not buy any windows and he also said I didn’t need new windows!
We just had a pest control guy come to the door this week, too. I explained that we just moved in last month and have already hired the guy that the previous owner had used. He was here on June 1 and he charges $100 every other month. The guy kept talking, trying to convince me to use his services, which were substantially more expensive, but “you get more.”
I do have a Ring doorbell, but as I told my husband, after living in a top floor condo with an intercom entrance for seven years, I’d practically forgotten about door-to-door solicitors. I’ll know better next time.
Sophie! We’ve gotta find a way to get pics in these posts! If she’s like mine, she’ll not enjoy the new doorbell.