Drawback

[stoutfellow]

One of the less-good things about being at home during the day is that you're there when the door-to-door people come by. They all seem to read from the same script: "We're doing X for your neighbors, you really ought to let us do X for you, we're taking $Y off, buy now!"

No. You come to my door and offer me a service I have not asked for, you cannot expect me to jump up and down with joy and give you money for this unrequested service.

"But there are lots of ants and spiders outside your house!"
"Yeah, so? That's where they're supposed to be. Go away."
"But... but... $100 off!"
"Go away."

And they're usually fresh-faced kids, who really seem to believe in their product, and can't understand why anyone would refuse it.

BTW: Spiders, for the most part, are our friends. I don't always appreciate them inside the house, but outside? Let 'em do their job!

Sheesh.

Comments

[mmegaera]

I live in a condo development with several signs along the driveway leading into it that say no trespassing, no solicitation. In spite of this, my doorbell gets rung every once in a while by those who don't think the rules apply to them (usually someone shilling religion). For those special snowflakes, I have the following printed out on slips of paper in a drawer near my front door. I open the door just far enough to hand one to the salesperson in question, then close it again without speaking.

"This is nothing personal, and nothing against your cause or religion or whatever you’re trying to spread the news about, but you walked/drove right past several no soliciting and no trespassing signs to enter this condo complex and get to my front door. This behavior is not conducive to a positive reception of your message, and is, in fact, cause for vehement rejection of it and of you no matter what that message is. Just something to consider in the future. Thank you."

The word does seem to have gotten around, though, because, even though I work at home most of the time, I don't get nearly as many doorbell ringers as I used to.