[Rose in RoseBear]

Okay, I confess ... I was very bad this afternoon.

---

As I'm getting out of the car this afternoon, I see this striking young woman walk up the other side of the street. There aren't many pedestrians in this neighborhood, and she drew my eye. She seemed to be reading mail as she walked up the sidewalk of the house across the street; I think I slated her as a grand-daughter of the folks who live there.

I walked in the door, shut it behind me, set down my bag and purse, and walked into the kitchen to get an old water bottle so I could wet down the porch plants. As I wrapped my hand around the bottle, the doorbell rang.

I walk to the door, and it's the striking young woman. I thought I'd left the car door open or something.

She began, in a bright, I-want-to-sell-you-something voice, "I'm with the Democratic National Committee ---"

I held up my hand. "Before you go any further, I'm not interested in anything the Democrats have to say to me."

I startled her. I went on, "I don't mean to be rude, but I don't want to hear it. I used to be a Democrat, but your party left me behind a long time ago."

She looked at my hand --- maybe she thought I was gonna hit her with the bottle or something? "Thank you, but no thank you."

"I'm sorry ..."

"Good luck!" I called after her as she left my porch.

---

<sigh> Was I mean? Was I rude?

And why did I wish her good luck?

[Overtaxed]

Why didn't you squirt her?

Kerry started running a campaign ad this morning that almost made me puke up my cornflakes.

[HairOfTheDog]

Why ~did~ you wish her good luck Rose?

~wink~

[RMDupree]

I thought it was a perfect response, Rose. She'll be thinking about that conversation for a loooong time.

Maybe one day she'll reappear at your door to ask what you meant by that and you can lead to the right...er, I mean, light!

[Fedora]

" Was I mean? Was I rude?" The way I handle that kind of thing depends on my mood. IMO in some situations it may be better to be rude to avoid having to become more rude, LOL! In other words, ideally I'd like to give the person a chance to have a civil conversation in which they get a chance to state their case and hear mine; however if I sense I'm going to lose my patience/temper with them I prefer to end the conversation ASAP before the conversation escalates into an argument; and this depends a lot on what else I'm doing at the moment as well as the other person's approach, which calls for a judgement call. It also depends on when they approach me. I have zero tolerance towards salesmen who call either in the early morning or during the dinner hour and I feel no compunction about being rude to them. If they're polite about when and how they call I might give them more of a hearing.

[JenB]

If someone's coming door-to-door, nothing you say can possibly be rude. She was imposing on you, right?

[Corin Stormhands]

Was I mean? Was I rude?

No you weren't. And we're highly disappointed young lady!

[Rebelbase]

Wow, you were perfect with that door to door dem!

[Rebelbase]

Since I started working from home I have lost all patience with door to door anythings. My current sign at the front door:

Maybe I should include DEMOCRATS on the list?

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

"I'm with the Democratic National Committee ---"

Oh, is that who that was? I wish now I'd answered the door, I could have used a good laugh.

[Wneighbor]

Was I mean? Was I rude?

And why did I wish her good luck?

Not mean. Not rude.

You coulda knocked her over the head with the water bottle.

[Professional Engineer]

Was I mean? Was I rude?

Heck no! It would have only been mildly impolite to tell her "You gotta be F'ing kiddin?" with an incredulous look on yer face.