Unwelcome

It's not quite summer yet, but it sure feels like it. The weather is warm, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and the salesmen/women are back to knocking on doors. I don't care if I'm in the middle of cooking dinner or just sitting around doing nothing, it irritates me to go to the door to find a salesperson.

We live in a small town where most of the homes are older, so home improvement companies are always in the area knocking on doors and handing out fliers. I can't tell you how many times we have been offered a free estimate on replacing our siding (which is old) or our windows (which are new).

In 1996, a few months after we moved into our house, a pair of vacuum cleaner salespeople knocked on the door. They wanted to come in and give me a demonstration of their product. They also had a free gift for me to keep just for agreeing to the demo. The free gift was steak knives. Call me overly cautious, but the idea of letting strangers with sharp knives into my house didn't seem like a good idea. Does anyone actually buy vacuum cleaners this way anymore? I told them it was 1996, not 1946 and sent them on their way.

I answered the door one day to find a man on my porch holding a clip board, obviously selling something. He grabbed my hand and shook it, but wouldn't let go. He insisted on holding my hand while he gave me his pitch. I was very uncomfortable with it and told him to let go of me and get off my porch. He finally did, but I was pretty shaken by it. I told my husband about it when he came home and he was furious. A little while later the man walked past the house again and Mr. Willoughby confronted him. He told the man he was going to call the police. The guy apologized and claimed that was his aggressive selling style.

Since then we've been visited by solicitors selling cleaning products, lawn care services, wireless fencing, tree trimming, magazines and books, to name a few. I finally put a "No Soliciting" sign on the door, but that doesn't deter all of them. I'm amazed at how many salesmen think that doesn't apply to them and what they're selling. Sometimes I just don't answer the door.

I saw a door mat in a catalog once that said "Go Away". I'm thinking about getting one. Better yet, I'll get a few dozen and sell them door to door!