Thinking Out Loud...: Entry for August 03, 2006

My blog and I thank you for not soliciting.....

Where does your pocketbook and your good intentions end?

I got a phone call earlier today, the person on the line asked is Ms. such and such there? It was the insurance adjuster wanting to set up a time to come visit to view the property and gouge...um, ...er I mean quote the increase for this year's property insurance. I hung up the phone, rolled my eyes and the first thing that popped into my head was.........oh great, now I have to dust.

But then the second thought was, well at least it wasn't another caller soliciting for yet another charity . I found out long ago, make a donation once....you are on their call list for life. ..(help).

I don't mind giving to a good cause. In fact when asked I usually give...I have a hard time saying no.

I think that must be why I am invited to every over-priced cookware, cosmetic, lingerie, basket party there is imaginable. Now usually I don't mind going to a party. It's nice to get out with just the ladies.... and chat..... and marvel over the fact tupperware has a lid that burps.

But then you start to notice a pattern that the same person(s) seem to be having the parties, over and over for different products and you begin to think...hmmmmmm.... we are glad to see you Vic... And your pocketbook.

I have a soft spot for kids. Kids selling stuff for school, for band, for a trip, for athletics or 4-H or whatever it is that has forced their tiny legs to go door to door and beg for money for their products. I usually know the kids or their parents, so I buy.

Last year I had a dilemma. One family of kids I knew had came by and I had bought some fruit from them. A lot of fruit, a big 20 pound box of fruit. But I thought, hey..holidays are around the corner, fruit will come in handy for the beginning of the new year (from all the over indulgences of too many sweets over Christmas)...... So I bought the smallest box of apples.

Two days later, another kid, who's family I knew, came by selling the same product,... for the same reasons. I glanced over the brochure and mumbled rather loudly that I just had bought some fruit the day before.

Finally ......finally I thought the cycle would be broken...I would be able to look in that little kid's eyes and say.........no.

What good salesmen kids are...I can see now why schools and clubs make them do the selling. As soon as I had mentioned buying fruit, the kid piped up..."we sell some other stuff too"...at which point I was directed to brochure #2.

I quickly glanced thru the brochure pictures of giftwrap, mixed nuts, cheeses of the world and spied the cheapest thing on the page....a beef log.....which I bought. Why you ask a beef log? I don't know myself...I think it was out of desperation, I don't even like beef logs all that much. I was promised my purchase by the holidays and the kid went off happily with my 12 dollars.

A few days before Christmas my beef log arrived. I was expecting a small 8 oz log of beef. I guess I should have read the brochure closer. I was the proud owner of a 2 and a half foot tube of beef.....glory be....

I had to wedge it in the fridge sideways at an angle....and every holiday party I was invited to last year I took a platter of crackers and cheese and beef log....I still had over half of it by February. I ended up throwing it out in the middle of May.

This year I have vowed to harden my heart when it comes to soliticiting....even to those little waifs who look so appealingly at you.....and if I feel myself waning.... I will at least know enough this time around not to order the beef log.