Knock, knock...who's there?

Mood: Mellow
Music: American Idol Auditions
Author: maryjane

I have this thing about my space. I love it.
I love my friends, I love company and I love to entertain. However, when I get home from a long day at work, I like my space. I like to cook a nice meal, and then sit back and watch television while talking to my friends on-line.

Relaxing is nice, I like to relax in my little space. It's not much, but God it is home.
So this evening, I am in my kitchen making some chicken and veggie soup (yum!) with home-made garlic bread. The front door is open and the cool breeze is blowing in. Wolf Blitzer is on my television telling me all about Obama's first day (Obama is so hot, sigh). The smells of my meal are wafting, and I'm thinking about random things and smiling to myself.

And then...a solicitor is standing at my grill...staring in on me...in my domain.
She starts about how dinner smells nice, blah blah blah.
And I felt it coming, in fact I was waiting for it:
"...I'm here this evening to talk to you about..."
I never let her get that far. I stopped her and explained to her that my home is my sanctuary and that I don't mean to be mean, but I've had a hard day and I just want to relax.
My brain had shut off about an hour before, and I just wanted to relax and have my meal.

She was polite, and went off to harass the rest of my neighbours that were home.
Shortly after, one of her selling colleagues, came up to the grill and asked when dinner would be ready, I first asked if she was with the other lady, and when she said yes I told her about 10 minutes. She then asked if she could come back for her share, I bluntly answered no. She looked shocked and walked off, but I didn't care. YOU are uninvited, at my door, making small talk which I didn't initiate. I know many persons feel the same way about people coming up to their door unannounced and unexpectedly...especially when they're selling or begging.

Eventually I shut the door, which ruined my mood. A girl should be able to have her door open, without solicitors coming up to the door...right?

Wrong.
I live off a main road. In fact, I will be facetious and call it a main thoroughfare damn near to a highway since this is after all, a small island and we have different standards from other countries.

I have to get used to solicitors, beggars and random persons walking off the road and right up to my door, staring in at me in all states of dress and undress and my apartment in all states of clean and disorderly.
I dislike it.
But more importantly, at the end of the day, I can't stand people coming to solicit.

In the case of the lady this evening, I know it's a job and kudos to her for doing it. But it's evening, people are home and they just want to relax. It's bad enough when we're harassed on the phone by someone selling something we do not want...but walking up to our doors?
The line needs to be drawn somewhere. There are safety issues to consider, anyone can pretend they are selling a product from any company, and go up to another's door, wait for them to open the door and then attack them. Then there is the safety of the person doing the selling. I think employers need to forget the bottom line for a second and consider the safety of not only their employees but potential customers.


That is all.
Peath Owt [lithp thtyle]
(what? I had to say it, lol)