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I wear a giant, flashing sign on my head...


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It says, "Please approach me and feel free to make rude comments."

 

I went out today with my 4 dc. As I'm walking towards Target, an older lady approaches me and gives me a religious pamphlet. I tell her, "no thanks, we're Catholic." She says, "Then you really need this."

 

Can you believe it!!!! I just kept walking. I was too hot and too mad. And with all my dc in tow, I really didn't want to stay and argue with anyone.

 

Seriously, I think I am the most approached person on the face of the earth. I get everything from, "What are you?" to "Are those ALL your kids?"

Not to mention the following:

 

"Don't you have TV?"

"No...where are you from ORIGINALLY?"

"You know you have to pay for all your kids' college education."

"Are you carrying twins?"......."Are you SURE?"

"No. Where are your parents from....ORIGINALLY?"

 

I swear, some people!!!

 

Ok. That was my mini vent for today! :D

 

Liz in NC

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You have only four kids? (I clicked on your blog!) That's funny, because I feel like the outcast with "only" two, lol.

 

>>>>"Are those ALL your kids?"

 

New response: "Oh NO, there's one missing!!!!!!"

 

>>>> "No...where are you from ORIGINALLY?"

"No. Where are your parents from....ORIGINALLY?"

 

"OH!! I misunderstood! We're originally from (name the next small town over)."

 

>>>>"You know you have to pay for all your kids' college education."

 

"And they'll be paying for your social security!" (Okay, so maybe you can just THINK that one, lol.)

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Do you know...sometimes I think those pamphlet people are...well...they can *be* the problem.

 

I mean, I've been appoached by people w/ pamphlets. I've smiled nicely & told them I'm a Christian (which should work for you, too, btw!).

 

Instead of, "Oh, how great, we'll move on," I get, "Are you SURE? I mean, like really, REALLY sure? If you DIED tonight, do you know where you'd go?"

 

Still relatively polite, I still assure them that I'm sure, etc. They. won't. stop. I *have* to take their "literature." But isn't that a waste of $??? I point this out. Politely.

 

Eventually? I have to treat them like phone salesmen. Just walk away while they're still talking.

 

Sometimes...if it's not hot outside & I don't have dc to wrangle w/ & I'm feeling benevolent (read: one day when I was 17, lol), I feel sorry for them. They were trained that way, & they think they're doing a good thing. Some of them are really uncomfortable approaching people like that, being so insistent, etc., but they're told that they should, that it's for a good cause, etc.

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I think I must be wearing that same sign!!

 

I'm convinced that people give me unsolicited advice and make comments because I'm a very small person, and therefore not intimidating in the least. Oddly enough, it never happens when my husband is around. I especially get a lot of flack from people because my little guy has special needs, and sometimes people unknowingly think it's a parenting thing, and try to offer me advice on how to potty train him, or whatever.

 

Just last week, someone saw me with all the kids and said, "I hope your husband has a good job!" Uhm.... What?! :001_huh:

 

I tend to make sarcastic comments in response (or think them!), which doesn't help and usually just makes me feel bad. It doesn't set a good example for my kids either. I need to learn how to be more gracious with village idiots, I think!

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Are they allowed to do that? Were they on Target property or a street? If they were on Target's property (parking lot, entrance sidewalk) I'd complain to the manager. We have lots of groups set up in front of stores, but they have to get permission and they're always polite. An in-your-face pamphlet pusher would certainly not be welcome. In the end, they're only scaring people away from shopping at the store. Who wants to run the gauntlet to get their groceries or housewares???

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Are they allowed to do that? Were they on Target property or a street? If they were on Target's property (parking lot, entrance sidewalk) I'd complain to the manager. We have lots of groups set up in front of stores, but they have to get permission and they're always polite. An in-your-face pamphlet pusher would certainly not be welcome. In the end, they're only scaring people away from shopping at the store. Who wants to run the gauntlet to get their groceries or housewares???

 

The lady was on the sidewalk in the shopping center. I don't know if she was just doing this on the down-low or what, but I didn't see her when I came out of the store. I thought about complaining to the manager, but decided not to since I had 3 rowdy kids who wanted popcorn!

 

I also wasn't sure if this was allowed or not. I always thought it would be considered soliciting.

 

Liz in NC

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This time of year a certain religious group has its regional convention in our area. This group is well-known for its door-to-door evangelism. Our parish printed up a small booklet for parishioners to keep by their doors so that when these folks come, we can offer one of ours for one of theirs. ;)

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:grouphug: It's sad that we have to go through things like that when out. I have 3 dc and get the "You do know what causes that?" question alot. Sometimes if I'm feeling snarky I'll reply with total sincerity "No, could you tell me?"

 

Although a few months back some door to door evangelists knocked on my door and when I saw who it was (dh was on underway time with the ship) I politely said through the door "No thank you" and walked away to get a soda from the kitchen. On my way back to the living room (I have to walk past the front door for this) I saw the woman of the group (there were 2 men with her) with her nose pressed right up to the sidelight window of the door. Then I heard the door handle jiggle! Was she honestly going to let herself into my house?:confused: I was shocked!

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:grouphug: It's sad that we have to go through things like that when out. I have 3 dc and get the "You do know what causes that?" question alot. Sometimes if I'm feeling snarky I'll reply with total sincerity "No, could you tell me?"

 

Although a few months back some door to door evangelists knocked on my door and when I saw who it was (dh was on underway time with the ship) I politely said through the door "No thank you" and walked away to get a soda from the kitchen. On my way back to the living room (I have to walk past the front door for this) I saw the woman of the group (there were 2 men with her) with her nose pressed right up to the sidelight window of the door. Then I heard the door handle jiggle! Was she honestly going to let herself into my house?:confused: I was shocked!

 

Maybe she was just leaving you some "literature," but I think I'd be on the phone w/ the police, who could come down & at least give the people some friendly advice about breaking, entering, & jiggling door handles, kwim?

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I get everything from, "What are you?"

 

um. a human. What are you?

 

to "Are those ALL your kids?"

 

Yes. Wait?! No, is that one yours?! Where dothey keep coming from.... Wander away mystified at how these children just keep popping out...

 

"Don't you have TV?"

Yes, where do you think we got so many creative ideas from?

 

"You know you have to pay for all your kids' college education."

No, but they get stuck funding YOUR social security and medicare. It's really not fair of you to do that to them.

 

"Are you carrying twins?"......."Are you SURE?"

I'm sure. When are YOU due?

 

 

My favorite line is when someone at Wacko-mart asked if we knew what the pill was and my dh rubbed my then very 9 months fat with baby #6 tummy and said, "Yes! Viagra has done wonders for us!"

 

I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I think you could hear a pin drop from about 5 aisles away.:lol:

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Nukeswife, that's just scary and weird.

 

We used to get approached A LOT when my boys were little. Now, now so much. I just don't understand how blindsiding a person trying to buy paper towels with religious questions works. You might enjoy this blog, though -

 

http://sardoniccatholicdad.blogspot.com/ and also this one http://junecleaverafterasix-pack.blogspot.com/

 

I enjoy both. And I think I'd enjoy them even if I weren't Catholic.

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My favorite line is when someone at Wacko-mart asked if we knew what the pill was and my dh rubbed my then very 9 months fat with baby #6 tummy and said, "Yes! Viagra has done wonders for us!"

 

I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I think you could hear a pin drop from about 5 aisles away.:lol:

 

 

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I guess I repped you recently, because I tried but I have to spread more rep. TOO funny!!!!

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My favorite line is when someone at Wacko-mart asked if we knew what the pill was and my dh rubbed my then very 9 months fat with baby #6 tummy and said, "Yes! Viagra has done wonders for us!"

 

I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I think you could hear a pin drop from about 5 aisles away.:lol:

 

I am going to remember that one!

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I have the same sign on me. Only it's not really on me, it's on my 2 little Asian girls' faces.

 

How old were they when you got them? (I don't mind this question if it asked in a kind, gentle, quiet way, but when people are staring at my daughters and talking to me....)

 

Are they sisters? um, I'm their mom, he's their dad. 'nuff said, ignorant a$$

 

Where are they from?

 

Vietnam, Huh, I was over there during the war. She does (n't) look like 'one of' them.

 

How much did they cost? shocked019.gif

(I will say, that I have joked with my friend that we would LOVE a third, but it's not quite as fun OR inexpensive as it was for them, BUT, to ask a complete stranger, and with THAT wording!!!!!)

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:grouphug: It's sad that we have to go through things like that when out. I have 3 dc and get the "You do know what causes that?" question alot. Sometimes if I'm feeling snarky I'll reply with total sincerity "No, could you tell me?"

 

Although a few months back some door to door evangelists knocked on my door and when I saw who it was (dh was on underway time with the ship) I politely said through the door "No thank you" and walked away to get a soda from the kitchen. On my way back to the living room (I have to walk past the front door for this) I saw the woman of the group (there were 2 men with her) with her nose pressed right up to the sidelight window of the door. Then I heard the door handle jiggle! Was she honestly going to let herself into my house?:confused: I was shocked!

 

I've had that happen to me, too. I lived in the country and didn't want to deal with them. So I didn't. Locked the door. When the folks tried the door handle, I came unglued. I lived a mile from neighbors. In my over-active imagination, the religious work was just a front for their true calling as serial killers. :tongue_smilie:

 

My mom-in-law said they were probably just gonna leave their pamphlet on the table, but I'm a city gal and that unnerved me.

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How much did they cost? shocked019.gif

(I will say, that I have joked with my friend that we would LOVE a third, but it's not quite as fun OR inexpensive as it was for them, BUT, to ask a complete stranger, and with THAT wording!!!!!)

 

Oh my How on earth could anyone (esp. a stranger) say that? :001_huh:

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OMG!!!

 

Happy, that table comment really struck a cord with me. I think someone did that to dh. He said he'd answered the door and the pamphleteer wanted to give him something. He said no thanks, but later found one on our hall table. He thought they left one outside and I'd brought it in...

but now I think they must have come in when dh turned his back.

 

I'm a bit freaked out!

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That is so funny, I'm sure it was embarrassing, but It made me LOL. :)

 

My favorite line is when someone at Wacko-mart asked if we knew what the pill was and my dh rubbed my then very 9 months fat with baby #6 tummy and said, "Yes! Viagra has done wonders for us!"

 

I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I think you could hear a pin drop from about 5 aisles away.:lol:

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I must wear the same one! I get unsolicited advice/comments all the time. So many people seem to love nosing in someone else's business, I have encountered people where you can just see the pleasure.

 

It's often the family size comment for us to. And then there are the people who like to comment on other people's parenting skills. Like the time my tired 20 month old son dropped his cracker on the floor at the grocery store and stood there sobbing, and I was comforting him, telling him not to worry, I'd get him another cracker. Some guy walked by and said "He sure has you trained!" Yeah mister, that's right, he should have been corrected for being a toddler and crying because he dropped his cracker. Apparantly I should have been telling him to straighten up and act like a man, there's no crying over crackers! That would have helped. :glare:

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I haven't had door-to-door evangelists in awhile, but once they came by while I was whipping up a beauty spell on my kitchen stove. I just stood there with my spoon in hand, giggling. I debated inviting them in to sample some - it's actually very sweet and tasty and good on toast - but I couldn't do it. I'm just too nice.

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Okay, I read your rant, and now I just have to know, "Where are you from ORIGINALLY?" :lol:

 

Sorry. It just came to me. But because you have already met your lifetime quota of idiots, here's a hug from me to you.

 

:grouphug:

 

I got that other line all the time, too, only it turned out that I WAS carrying twins (yeah!) and, yes, they are ALL mine (yeah!), and what business is it of anyone's how much they cost?

 

Gah. Cindy, I honestly am in shock with you, the gall of people asking you how much your children "cost" you! As if you went down to the local SPCA to pick out a puppy. What do you say, when people ask you this?

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I know most of these people are just curious idiots, but it really rubs me wrong when they make these comments IN FRONT OF MY KIDS.

Thanks to such people, my kids have had to be told about:

birth control (pills, condoms, tubal ligation, vas)

abortion (Yes, one kids in our old neighborhood actually said that there's places I could get rid of a baby if it was too much trouble. I was gosh aweful sick with hypermesis morning sickness and she couldn't comprehend that anyone would rather be that sick than to just get rid of it.)

that there's a reason "some animals eat their young" (Yes, some lady ina toy store thought she was being cute with that comment. She said that's what she felt like with only her 2 - her two that were right there next to her!)

divorce/premarital sex (are they all his too?)

that some mother's go wacko and kill their kids (remember that mom in TC who killed her 5 dc while having a pyschoic episode? For a long time after that everyone seemed to think it was because she had so many kids.)

I mean, I've got nothing against spreading some truth in honest discussion, but to say such things in front of my kids royally ticks me off. But it's a part of life that I have to deal with.:cheers2:

We also have little old people follow us around. They only had 1 or two that never visit and they are lonely. Kids are like a magnet to old people that wish they'd had more or miss having that house full of kids. I can't count how often we've gotten ready to leave a restuarant and some table of old people paid for "that wonderful big family table with all those sweet babies".:)

so it's not all bad, but goodness yes, those strangers at Wacko-mart - I really hate grocery shopping because it's liek that's where they hang out?!

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oh dh (who isn't catholic) said I should note my #1 peeve.

 

When my fellow catholics say such things.

 

or

 

ask if I know I can use NFP

 

or even more irritating

 

They proceed to presume I'm not using NFP correctly and that's why I keep getting pregnant so close and often. They seem to pityingly ask Are you ecologicly bf-ing? You know you should nurse on demand and at night and never use bottles or pacifiers and such to give "proper" spacing? and blahblahblah..

 

Um, yes, folks I know how to properly bf and what NFP is thank you very much. It happens that I'm don't fit the "average" mold and don't care either.

 

I hope I never feel a need to use NFP. If they need to, then I get that - but NFP is NOT a de facto requirement for any marriage. It's perfectly fine to NEVER use it too.

 

So I have to go home and explain to my kids why not all catholics want children. And see my very pro-life non christian dh look at me like, "See why would I be Catholic? Most of them don't even believe or practice their faith!":crying:

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My favorite line is when someone at Wacko-mart asked if we knew what the pill was and my dh rubbed my then very 9 months fat with baby #6 tummy and said, "Yes! Viagra has done wonders for us!"

 

I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I think you could hear a pin drop from about 5 aisles away.:lol:

 

:lol::lol::lol: Hilarious!

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I

"No...where are you from ORIGINALLY?"

 

 

I must be really dense today but I can't figure out what this means. Are they asking where your ancestors originated or where you were born or what?

 

Perhaps it can be of some comfort to know that everyone gets their share of rude out-of-place comments from strangers. I can't tell you how many times I was approached to be scolded about my baby (infant!) not wearing socks or shoes. I even had a few elderly women approach and rearrange the baby blankets when I was walking with a baby in my arms!

 

Pegasus

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That would drive me insane. I don't tend to have people just walk to give pamphlets or offer advice, I think I tend to have that look on my face that says, "I will kill the next person that talks to me". I have had people however get that incredulous look and say "Are they all yours?" or "4 Kids! I could never do that" Or those that have the guts to ask if I am done having kids now that I have 4. USually when I get asked if they are all mine I laugh and say no I collect them where I go, which is not entirely false, many times I have had strange children grab onto my cart and start walking with us, or simply join my kids when we sit down somewhere etc, so often it looks like more than 4 are mine. I don't think I would have been able to walk away without making some comment to them about being rude, or stupid etc

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My favorite line is when someone at Wacko-mart asked if we knew what the pill was and my dh rubbed my then very 9 months fat with baby #6 tummy and said, "Yes! Viagra has done wonders for us!"

 

I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I think you could hear a pin drop from about 5 aisles away.:lol:

 

This is the funniest, best answer I have heard yet!!!:lol:

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Yikes! I hate to say it, but I don't even respond to them. I completely ignore those type of solicitors without even a head nod. I also just close the door if they come to my home. I've learned you can't argue with some people. May seem rude, but it works. The ones that really drive me crazy are the missionaries in the public parks. I don't really have an out, ya know? I'm not heading in the store, or out, I can't just shut the door. I usually just say, "Can't talk right now, my son needs my attention."

Sorry you had to deal with this!

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I tell her, "no thanks, we're Catholic." She says, "Then you really need this."

 

I'm a Christian, and I believe in the great commission - but for the love of mike, that kind of response is appalling.

 

If the pamphlet-passers won't take "no, thanks" for an answer, remind them of 2 Peter 3:15. "...always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

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