This kid came into my office hawking some cheesy foil pictures for a charity. Now, I’m a really big sucker. I’ll own up to that. I also used to do phone canvassing, so I’m a mighty good target.
So I’m gonna buy one, I’m even going to pay $5 bucks extra because the kid looked so tired and so hot, I didn’t want his day to be a total bust. So I’m in the middle of writing a check and what does he do?
My puse is open next to my desk, he looks in and see’s a pack of smokes. The following conversation ensues:
Him: You know, you should really quit, that’s a nasty habit.
Me: Do you want the check or not?
Him: Yes, I just think it smells gross
Me: Sweetie, I’m gonna give you some advice. It’s not a good idea to insult someone’s personal habits while they’re in the middle of writing you a check.
Him: Sorry, sorry, go ahead
It didn’t make me angry enough to take it to the Pit, but I did need to vent a little and am also curious as to whether or not I overreacted. I was tempted to tell him to get lost, but he seemed so sweet and tired and like he honestly didn’t realize he was being rude.
Then he started asking me about God.
Sigh
I just told him, yes I’m a believer (which I am, just not a Christian. I just wanted him gone at that point) and there’s a whole office full of people (who bug me) that would be more than willing to help out. Suckers.
So was the kid out of line? Should I have snatched back my check and told him to beat it?
I suppose if its for charity then you would only be getting at the people he was trying to help, but i’m totally with you on this one there is nothing more annoying than someone insulting you and then handing them some money. Thats what children are for!
Whoops, I meant a whole office of people that bug me across the parking lot.
It also bugged me that the minute he walked in here, I asked him if he was selling anything and he said “no” when he most certainly was. True, it was for a charity, but it was still selling.
Now that I think about it, why did I give him money???
Still Massengil and like-companies pretty much make their money by doing this. “You stink like low tide so buy our product even though it might increase the risk of cervical cancer.”.
Same thing with most makeup counter people I have ever seen. “Something is wrong with your face, but for X dollars we can fix it.”.
Lezlers ; I think it’s rude enough to warrant “go work on your people skills, kid.” And tear up the check.
YES, we’re in California, and smoking is bad, yadayadayada… but then to bring RELIGION into it? You are giving him something HE wants. He should at least work for it. A LITTLE!
I think kids these days have been indoctrinated with the idea that it’s OK to insult smokers. They want to show that they have this knowledge, so they go ahead and inform every smoker they see that it’s a bad habit and they should quit.
Yes, it’s rude, but I think the kid was probably speaking on automatic pilot.
It was something with a really long name. Lemme see…h.s.a.u.w.c is what I have down in my checkbook. Something to do with getting kids active in community service. I’ve always been really active in community service, so he kinda reeled me in with that (and there’s the whole sucker thing…)
I agree that the kid was probably on autopilot. I still thought it was quite rude. Just goes to show how acceptable it is now to confront smokers about their habit. Even when they’re not in the act of smoking, so there’s not even the “your right to smoke ends where my nose begins!” excuse. The fact that he felt totally comforatable doing it to someone he was asking for money really drives it home.
I guess the real question now is: when is it not okay to lecture smokers about their habit? It’s not like we don’t know it’s bad for us. Sheesh!
Ah MAN! I knew I should’ve paid closer attention. Now I’m gonna get a whole slew of mailers. Can’t believe he didn’t even notice my sparkly silver pentagram I wear every day.
How does The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity relate to urging kids to do community service?
Unless…
they think of evangilizing as “community service.”
A couple of times a week I babysit 2 neighbor boys after school. One fine day they were here, and I lit up a cigarette. The 6-yr-old began screeching, “You’re doing drugs!” Then he informed me that I also have drugs (beer) in the refrigerator. Turns out it was “Drug Awareness Week” at school. I explained that while cigarettes and alcohol were indeed drugs, they were legal, and that when people said someone was doing drugs, they were usually talking about illegal drugs.
“What’s illegal drugs?”
“Like marijuana or cocaine.”
“What’s marijuana or cocaine?”
So much for Drug Awareness Week.
The boys’ parents also smoke & drink beer, so it was probably a fun night at their house.
The Moons are a cult headed by the filthy rich Sung Yung Moon (not sure about the spelling). They do all kinds of whacky stuff like hundreds of people getting together into mass weddings.
