Advanage

I just had to blog about this eventhough I posted about it on Facebook. I rarely answer the door for anyone during the day. If it's the weekend Lance and I would determine together whether to answer the door. If so, then he'd answer or be close by. We have been known to get knocks at the door at 9 p.m. at which point my heart rate and anxiety jump as I rush into one of the kids's rooms to peek through the curtains so as not to make the person think someone is home, let alone aware that we heard the knock or doorbell at all. There has been one gentleman, in a suit and professional-looking, that has come by twice in the last few months during the day. He's had paperwork out on the hood of his car, but I couldn't tell if he was going around the rest of the neighborhood as well. He was either selling something, or doing a background check on a neighbor, which I guess I didn't help with. All this again assessed through a crack of the kids' curtains while I'm shooshing them so the person doesn't hear them.

This afternoon Jared and Ava were asleep, and Jenna was playing her Leapster when the doorbell rang. Usually people will wait a minute before ringing it again. This person gave it maybe 5 seconds. So I answered the door, knowing the screen was locked, assessed the situation and decided to open it. I stood right between a cracked screen door and the frame, and the salesman immediately asked for the adult of the house. From then on it was complement after complement about my age, "Wow you don't look 30! I thought you were a teenager!" Those were the least off-putting. He was selling an all-purpose cleaner, biodegradable, safe with children and pets, safe for fabric, and all natural. Natural enough for him to pull out the spray bottle nozzle and lick the tubing. Yes that's right. I thought two things, "EW," and "Non-hazardous is always good with the kids around." He proceeded to scrub the grime off of my brass address numbers, some mildew that was in the cracks of the blocks of my front planter, some of the driveway, and also clean an area of the screen glass. I was impressed when he rubbed his fingers back over it, and it left no fingerprints! Again, great for the kids. He had a brochure that I glanced over while he was going through the pitch, sporadically looking up and reacting to his jokes. I asked a couple questions, and told him I'd talk to my husband about it. His response, "When you go to Walmart to buy your cleaning supplies do you check with him first?" Again, I thought two things, "Excuse you, don't be talkin' 'bout my husband!" and "That's true." I finally decided I would get it.

For one thing, with the 5 different cleaners I have under my sink, it wasn't a terrible deal for something that would last a long time because it's a concentrate. I knew I would not be giving him a check or credit card, and I did have cash. I didn't have the tax amount, so he said he'd take it off for a cold drink. So I gave him a root beer and bottle of water.

I also sympathized with him as a door salesman and (supposedly) trying to raise his 10 year old son on it. His situation is probably different from the tons of teenagers we get selling professional lawn service all spring. He asked me if I'd ever done it. I said no. I do remember going with my mom when I was a kid and she sold vacuum cleaners and all the stuff that went along with them. This was when people let you in their house.

I think a part of me was also nervous about what would happen if I said "no" after all that time and effort. So basically I made a purchase out of some reasoning, guilt, sympathy and nerves.

As soon as I closed the door I immediately looked up the product's website. It looks legit, and it's sold on Amazon. So I at least didn't feel ripped off. The worst of the articles I've read so far about the product were about customer service and that I'm not the first of these well-rehearsed complements. I should've left well enough alone and ignored the door. Nonetheless, we are all safe and will have clean number plates, windows and driveway...if I get around to cleaning them. Crap.