Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Warning: RANT

Or: How I Became a RUDE Person


I’m no different from ninety eight percent of Americans. Inundated with sales calls, advertisement on sites, the airwaves, and practically everywhere I look, I count on my home being my sanctuary. I willingly climb the many steps that form an obstacle-course to our door, because they have kept most door-to-door solicitors away. Who wants to walk up two flights of stairs of a now-in-construction path when some homes have front doors at street level?
A few years back, the lauded Do-Not-Call Registry stopped stopping anyone. I still had the front door, though. But for some reason the unofficial moat is no longer working. The floodgates have broken, and the solicitors have been floating in at an alarming rate all summer long.

On our neighborhood Email group, alerts have been coming of rude solicitors who hurl insults, yell, and walk away name-calling. The number of unique descriptions has increased from once a week to a few a day, every day. Since it’s not a crime to knock on a stranger’s door or even walk away yelling at them, the police have no interest in such. The neighbors are left to  videotaping and sharing, and rubbing our ears in the hope we haven’t heard what we thought we did, then rubbing our hands in frustration. We glance at our NO SOLICITORS signs, and wonder why they didn't look as pathetic to us when we hung them up.
 
The word solicitous, which is related to solicitor, is defined as being concerned, caring, considerate, attentive, mindful, and thoughtful. Oh, really?

I used to be nice at the door. I used to listen and consider. I used to think about what the huffing ‘n puffing person had to say. After all, they came all the way up from the street. Only my very best friends would deem to attempt this feat, and only because they valued my company.
The other day DD told me my abrupt way of speaking to a solicitor who came back after I asked her, nicely, not to, was rude. “They are people,” she said.

I realized I had become rude.


Gimme’ your tired, yearning to breath free. I no longer know which of us are the poor. I should probably go away to recharge on some island for a while. Only I suspect the road to it will be littered with billboards eager to make sales/converts/conquests of the huddled masses. 

10 comments:

Vijaya said...

To the door-to-door salespeople, I am courteous. But the phone. Oy. I cannot handle it.

Anna Staniszewski said...

I hear you. I'm normally polite to a fault, but something about telemarketers, door-to-door salespeople, etc. brings out the rude beast in me. Yes, they are people, but if you tell them to leave you alone and they don't, I think it's okay to be a little curt. :-)

Kelly Hashway said...

I hate when people come to the door. My dog barks so much that I can't even hear what the person is saying. I've stopped answering all together.

Ann Herrick said...

One can be polite, yet firm. Polite does not mean you have to smile or be "friendly," it just means being polite. "No thank and goodbye," and closing the door (without slamming) is polite.

Tina Cho said...

Just speak in Hebrew--they'll leave. (perhaps?) That's what I do here--speak in English, and they leave me alone. :)

Anonymous said...

It's got to the point I no longer answer my door if I'm not expecting anyone, but I do look out to make sure I'm not about to be broken into by someone hoping no one's home. And speaking of the no-call list, the last time I mentioned to some caller I was on that list, he laughed and said, "How's that working for you?" Now I hang up the minute they start talking.
Today's world makes have to be rude and forget the phone "courtesy" we were taught as children.

Mirka Breen said...

What an idea... Never considered using Hebrew that-a-way.
Are you telling me that these solicitations are as ubiquitous in South Korea? Oy.

Yanting Gueh said...

Wow, luckily for me, door-to-door sales calls aren't that frequent. We do get a few, but not to the point of annoyance. I understand it's tough for them, too, and they must receive rejections about 97% of the time. (Just read Tina's suggestion. Lol, it might work!)

Anonymous said...

Yikes, sounds like quite a crowd at your door. I wouldn't worry about being rude, though. They are the rude ones-- invading your privacy without invitation and not taking a hint that they are doing so. Good luck with the Hebrew, great idea.

Marcia said...

I don't answer the landline phone or door. We keep the phone only for my mother, who knows that number, and if she wants us she knows to talk to the answering machine.