Do I look ticked off?

I had about five posts written in my head this week. I want to share with you the books I've read, and tell you about the one crafty thing I did (and actually on a Wednesday), I wanted to tell you about how all of my "memes" have come true, including stepping on that fated toy and falling and getting a gash in my knee (geesh).

But instead I have to tell you about what ticked me off today. So if you're looking for sunshine and flowers that's not me, at least not today, at this moment. But I think after I blow steam a little I might feel better and be ready to recite a sonnet. (or not)

I have been married for almost ten years. I have been a mother for 8 years. I have lived in a home (although still renting, ugh) for about 5 years. And yet today was my first experience with a door to door salesman, and a crafty vacuum one at that.

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person, perhaps a bit naive and gullible at times but I'm not a stupid person. And that's why I can't figure out how he got in my door. He showed up earlier today, shortly after I had walked in the door from learning to start fires with emergency fire starting stuff (and then roasting hot dogs on said fire). I was trying to get kids down for a nap and de-mudified and was a wee bit frazzled, just to give you a little background. He hands me this paper and then starts talking so I can't even read it. He tells me that he is shampooing one room for free in our neighborhood. He drops a few names (which I don't know), and proceeds to emphasize the "free" cleaning, he's done it for many of my neighbors, blah blah blah. I keep asking questions to try to find out what he's "selling", but he evades every question. Seriously, looking back it was very crafty. He sets up a time to come (when hubby is home, too) and leaves.

Now, here are the warning signs that I didn't notice until later:
1) He never gave me his name, I still don't know his name. But I understand better now maybe why he didn't give his name or contact info.

2) When he came to my door the first time he did not say what company he represented nor did he tell me what he was selling. When he left I had the impression he worked for some carpet cleaning company and assumed that they were just showing me what they could do so I'd hire them someday to do my whole house. Seriously, that's how much he avoided telling me what it was about.

3) I asked him if they sold them and he said something like "Well, yeah, when your vacuum dies we hope you might consider ours."

Looking back, I'm lucky he wasn't some kidnapper or molester or something trying to find out if I was home alone or something.

So he comes back later and I'm doing piano lessons so I send him down to the preschool to shampoo the carpet and that's when things get weird. (Oh, and Eldon wasn't home yet)

So this guy (just your average looking guy, no horns) is like oh, you're supposed to be down here while I do this. So I hurry upstairs and call Eldon and tell him to get here fast.

He does his whole shpeal, and I admit, he's good at making it look good, and then we tell him thanks but no. He uses every annoying and dishonest tactic in the book. He makes us feel guilty, he emphasizes that many of our neighbors have bought one and paid for it straight out. He plays Eldon and I against each other. He talks about how he only needs to sell 6 more to go on a much needed vacation with his family. He tells me that he doesn't make any money unless he sells the vacuum. He emphasizes that my children and preschoolers are touching that CRAP that is all over every surface in my house that this amazing vacuum/shampooer can eliminate.

So at one point my husband is telling him no again and he looks over at me and says: "Aww, look at your wife's face" like I was sad or something. I wanted to get in his face right then and tell him that I wasn't sad, I was pissed, and at him, not my husband. But of course I don't because I'm just not like that. (even if sometimes I wanna be)

Then I use my babies as an excuse and come upstairs and find out later that when Eldon first talked to him he said there was no way we could afford it and this guy said:"that's not what your wife said." WHEN did I say that??

So I hate to say it but if you come to my door with these vague "free" deals or some such crap you better turn around, because I'm not going to sit there and have you try to manipulate my sympathies.

And yet what does it say about me that if I was alone I don't think I could have said no? Thank goodness for Eldon.

So how was your day?