# Excuse me, but what makes you think our trade show booth is your personal trash can? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 12, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973 "2017-03-12T02:15:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/101 "2017-03-14T13:00:58Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Thread recap so far for those who dont have time to go though 80+ posts: > > OP: I really don’t appreciate it when people litter my booth. > > POSTER: Its YOUR fault, not theirs. You should just tolerate people who are pigs. > > POSTER 2: What does your company sell? Because that has EVERYTHING to do with littering. > > OP: … > > POSTER 2: I DEMAND YOU TELL US!!! > > OP: I decline to answer. > > BULLY: If you dont, we’ll reveal it for the world to see and get you fired. > > OP: Oh really??? Is that so??? > > BULLY: HAR HAR JUST KIDDING, OP! > > POSTER 3: OP is an ASSHOLE!!! **I have no good reason** why I say that but he is… > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk If you really think that this is a fair summation of this thread, then I have _my_ reason for thinking you’re an asshole all sorted. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/102 "2017-03-14T13:08:22Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > BULLY: If you dont, we’ll reveal it for the world to see and get you fired. > > OP: Oh really??? Is that so??? > > BULLY: HAR HAR JUST KIDDING, OP! OK Sean Spicer, anybody can look upthread and see that you were flopping like a fish on a hook. So, your product/service isn’t ready to be released to the public yet and you have to adhere to confidentiality agreements? You could have just said that at the beginning and saved yourself a lot of grief. Moran. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/103 "2017-03-14T13:10:25Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > OK Sean Spicer, anybody can look upthread and see that you were flopping like a fish on a hook. It wasn’t a “flop”, it was a “flopp”. Completely different! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/104 "2017-03-14T14:41:44Z")
> [@Fuji](#): > > If you really think that this is a fair summation of this thread, then I have _my_ reason for thinking you’re an asshole all sorted. While the OP has done little except take a shovel to the hole he has dug for himself, it is a pretty good summation of a decent portion of the thread. A sizable portion of the Teeming Millions seems to believe complaining about people being slovenly in public, which is 90%+ of the OP, is the fault of the one cleaning up after/dealing with their slovenly ways. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/105 "2017-03-14T15:11:11Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > While the OP has done little except take a shovel to the hole he has dug for himself, it is a pretty good summation of a decent portion of the thread. A sizable portion of the Teeming Millions seems to believe complaining about people being slovenly in public, which is 90%+ of the OP, is the fault of the one cleaning up after/dealing with their slovenly ways. Fair enough, but the whole reason for people questioning what happened to the furniture, why it was necessary for it to be there, and such were because the OP was so vague as to specifics such that reasonable people could surmise that maybe, just maybe, the OP might’ve been misplacing his anger. If he doesn’t want to give even the vaguest of details to sketch out his ambiguous tale, then perhaps he shouldn’t act like such a petulant douchebag, as if we’re the ones out of line here. Fuck that. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/106 "2017-03-14T16:07:45Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Thread recap so far for those who dont have time to go though 80+ posts: > > OP: I really don’t appreciate it when people litter my booth. > > POSTER: Its YOUR fault, not theirs. You should just tolerate people who are pigs. > > POSTER 2: What does your company sell? Because that has EVERYTHING to do with littering. > > OP: … > > POSTER 2: I DEMAND YOU TELL US!!! > > OP: I decline to answer. > > BULLY: If you dont, we’ll reveal it for the world to see and get you fired. > > OP: Oh really??? Is that so??? > > BULLY: HAR HAR JUST KIDDING, OP! > > POSTER 3: OP is an ASSHOLE!!! I have no good reason why I say that but he is… > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk You know, I’m a little sympathetic, especially with your needing to fight off the prying comments. But let me try to expand a little on your summary: OP: I really don’t appreciate it when people sit on the furniture we put in our booth, and litter it. VARIOUS POSTERS: Why do you have furniture if you don’t want people to sit? VARIOUS POSTERS: You think that’s bad, I can top that with an ever wilder customer story. (note that no one criticized you for being annoyed at folks who littered your booth.) VARIOUS POSTERS 2: What does your company sell? Because I’m trying to figure out what your booth looks like and why you have furniture that you don’t want anyone to touch. I’m honestly trying to understand this set-up. OP: … SUBSET OF POSTERS 2: I DEMAND YOU TELL US!!! (Yeah, here you have my sympathy. I agree with whoever said you would have done better to have answered that you’d rather not say, but it was rude to demand your personal info like that.) OP: I decline to answer. BULLY: If you dont, we’ll reveal it for the world to see and get you fired. OP: Oh really??? Is that so??? BULLY: HAR HAR JUST KIDDING, OP! POSTER 3: OP is an ASSHOLE!!! He’s been rude to everyone who disagrees with him even slightly in this thread. Anyhow, that’s what I read. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/107 "2017-03-14T16:25:43Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > You joke about this but I saw a documentary about a guy named Navin who created a modification to eyeglasses that caused the wearer’s eyes to become permanently crossed. Sounds like a jerkish thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/108 "2017-03-14T17:42:05Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > (note that no one criticized you for being annoyed at folks who littered your booth.) > [@kanicbird](#): > > So you put out nice chairs in a place that many people are wandering around, and also food is being sold with people looking for a place to sit and eat, and you expect what again? > > And you call the public idiots :smack: Sure, it’s **kanicbird** and the best one can expect from a kanicbird post is no misspellings, but that sounds like criticizing the OP for being annoyed. Personally, I think that simply knowing that furniture is part of the display and not the product is enough information, and that was apparent in the OP. That said, being a jerk when looking for sympathy doesn’t reflect well on the OP, though I can sympathize. Been there, done that, got the merit badge, don’t ever want to do it again. The subset of people that this complaint is about put me off dealing with the public much more than their opposites make me want to deal with the public. Or with people in general. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/109 "2017-03-14T19:21:01Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Sounds like a jerkish thing to do. Nice one. Took me a pause before the penny dropped. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/110 "2017-03-14T21:34:56Z")
It’s fairly obvious in the OP that **russian\_heel** ’s company sells furniture covers, at least it was to me. The guy wiping his hamburger be-greased hand on the furniture cover was “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. SOPHISTICATED furniture covers, at that. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/111 "2017-03-14T22:22:45Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > OP, I’m trying to have sympathy for you, but your persona is just so unpleasant it makes it hard. My thoughts exactly, and coming from a gal who has worked plenty a booth at trade shows. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/112 "2017-03-14T22:45:02Z")
I am sure this thread has been an eye opener for the OP. :eek: If nothing else, it is obvious the person doesn’t belong in sales. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/113 "2017-03-14T22:50:05Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > I am sure this thread has been an eye opener for the OP. :eek: > > If nothing else, it is obvious the person doesn’t belong in sales. It’s possible he doesn’t belong in _public_. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/114 "2017-03-15T02:18:48Z")
That documentary is appropriately named for our OP. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/115 "2017-03-15T11:45:30Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > …SUBSET OF POSTERS 2: I DEMAND YOU TELL US!!! I cannot find this part of the thread, could you please point it out for us? Thanks, mmm ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/116 "2017-03-15T16:28:54Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > It’s fairly obvious in the OP that **russian\_heel** ’s company sells furniture covers, at least it was to me. The guy wiping his hamburger be-greased hand on the furniture cover was “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. > > SOPHISTICATED furniture covers, at that. I was thinking Mrs. Bucket more than asshole, personally. ---
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/117 "2017-03-16T04:53:09Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > You know, I’m a little sympathetic, especially with your needing to fight off the prying comments. But let me try to expand a little on your summary: > > … > > BULLY: If you dont, we’ll reveal it for the world to see and get you fired. > > OP: Oh really??? Is that so??? > > BULLY: HAR HAR JUST KIDDING, OP! See, I disagree with your expanded summation of events. 1. That post was quite clearly (from my POV, anyway) a case of mild teasing, rather than the “serious threat” or “instance of bullying” portrayed. 2. They didn’t say or imply anything about it being revealed to anyone. 3. Most importantly, there’s no possible way anyone could’ve known, or even inferred, that the information would’ve gotten OP fired if it was revealed, because that never came up until that post–at which time, it was, in the nature of this thread itself, revealed in the most dickish way possible. Seriously, reading through this, the OP is going out of their way to respond in the most antagonistic way possible. They could’ve just said from the get-go **“I’d prefer not to say because I could get fired if I do”** , but instead they started by equating it with revealing their Social Security number, then went on to say “I’d rather not say” (at the behest of another poster chiding them for that response), then went with a snide comment about the firing. Frankly, they don’t have to reveal anything they don’t want to, but their lack of tact fueled a fire that could’ve been put out ages ago (possibly before it even started) if they just said everything from the beginning that they ended up saying anyway. Nobody would care if OP didn’t turn it into a personal challenge. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/118 "2017-03-16T12:37:46Z")
I assumed the op didn’t want to answer what the product was because it might “out” their real-life identity, not that they’d be fired. And I’m sympathetic, because I said something about local reactions to gun laws – something that is true of every major city on the north East coast, and much of the rest of the north east, as well as of urban California, and some blowhard refused to engage with me unless I told him exactly where I lived, and badgered me repeatedly about it. It’s by far the nastiest exchange I’ve had here. So I’m sympathetic to anyone else who gets the “tell us precise details about your life or we’ll be jerks to you” treatment. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/119 "2017-03-16T16:39:17Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Ha… haha…HAHAHAHA!!! That’s rich! I’m going to make my fortune marketing my wares on a Message Board partially populated by half-wits with no money living in their parents basement. Whew, I’m glad not be lumped in with them! I am allowed on all floors of my father’s house. – **gigi** , burger inhaler ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973/120 "2017-03-16T18:24:55Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I assumed the op didn’t want to answer what the product was because it might “out” their real-life identity, not that they’d be fired. But if you don’t want to say for fear of giving away your real identity, just say so and people will either drop it or look like asses. When you get cagey and talk about your ‘sophisticated’ product, then make angry, hyperbolic comparisons to revealing your SSN, you end up looking like a raging idiot. Also, vaguebooking about what happened while looking for sympathy also doesn’t work - people will wonder at the details (like, why have chairs if you’re not selling furniture) and it undermines sympathy for your rant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-but-what-makes-you-think-our-trade-show-booth-is-your-personal-trash-can/781973.md?page=7)