Salesman

Dear Best Friend,

Today I was watching a couple of kids for a friend who is training for a new job.   One of them wasn't feeling very well and their daddy was planning to pick them up early to go to the doctor.  I heard a knock at the door in the early afternoon and assumed it was their dad, so I opened the door without looking out the window to see who it was first.  Big mistake.

It was a salesperson who was looking for sponsoring for inner-city youth by selling magazine subscriptions.  It was a very worthy cause but I explained I was babysitting so it really wasn't a very good time.  Still, he did not leave.  Instead he pushed some folder thing into my hands and I tried to give it back several times but he continued to talk away and wouldn't take it back.  I then explained that I didn't have the financial resources to help at that time and again said I was babysitting and needed to get back to the kids.  About that time one of the kids knocked into a small table near the door almost knocking over a glass vase, which I responded to, so I thought the guy would see I was busy but no, he continued to talk and talk.  Then I told him I had a child in the hospital for the last four months, I was broke, I did not have any money to buy magazines and I needed to get back to the kids.  You would not believe his response....

"You live in this big house, look at your ring (my wedding ring)... you are not broke"

I was so angry!  I do have a nice house and a nice ring.  The house we can't afford and the ring was a very frugal purchase during a massive sale at an outlet store.  With all of our medical expenses this year, plus having to replace the roof and an air conditioning system...  If it weren't for me working full time in the years prior and us having a nice savings built up, we'd be in a tent right now.

In fact, we are planning to spend a whopping $20 on each child for Christmas and the money is coming from me babysitting this week.  AUGH! If it weren't for babysitting, I'm not sure if we would have a Christmas.

I wish I had paid attention to what company he worked for.  I would like to complain.  Just as I'm sure he wouldn't want to be judged by his cover, neither do I.  You can't know someone's circumstance after 5 minutes.

- Your Irritated Best Friend