Tuesday, May 6, 2008

I Am So Angry~Am I Over Reacting?-Take My Poll

It all started about a month ago.  I got some literature in the mail from AARP.  In the packet was a self addressed postage paid card where you could check for your choice of a free gift.  I checked next to a home fire extinguisher and sent it in.  It said at the bottom of the card "FREE~NO OBLIGATION."

Well, this morning at 8:45am (a little early as far as I'm concerned) the phone rang and a man introduced himself and told me he wanted to drop by and bring me the fire extinguisher.  I said, "I hope there's no strings attached & if there is...I don't want it."  He said that he wouldn't be associated with any company that would do that & he understood where I was coming from.   Ok...so he said he'd be here about 12 noon.  Well, just before 11 am my door bell rang and there he was.  He came in.....sat on the sofa, started petting Gabi and asking me how long I'd lived here, etc.   Then he got up and was looking at the family pictures on the wall asking me questions about them....then after about 20 minutes he asked if he could use the bathroom...so I showed him where it was.   Then when he came out of the bathroom, he's in the hallway looking at all the pictures hanging in there...ok that's fine I don't mind but now he's here almost 30 minutes.  Finally he sits down and hands me the extinguisher, along with a little piece of paper that had a list of fire hazards on it. He asked me to take a little fire quiz, while he went out to his car.  He came back in with all these notebooks and a big case.  Then he started his spiel.  About 15 minutes into it...he asked for a glass of water, so I got up and got him a bottle of water.  He continued on & on, showing me all these newspaper articles about people burning up in their homes. By now it's noon~he's been there for an hour and I've missed the "Ellen" show. 

 About 10 minutes after 12 noon I asked him, "how long is this going to take because I have to be out of here in 30 minutes."  Actually I didn't...I lied to him....but I figured, hey this guy has lied to me and what I just said to him was justified.   As it turned out he was selling and in fact is the Regional Field Manager for a home security system.  This system sounds great but it's like $6,000 to install and anywhere from $30 to $50 a month service fee. He finally left here at 12:45pm saying he could either come back or would be calling me in the next few days to get my decision.  So standing on my front porch I told him, "No that's ok, I will call you if I'm interested!"    I did leave the house, went and bought some more bedding plants and to the grocery store.  But I am still angry at this knucklehead, I feel he was dishonest.  And he hogged up 1 hour and 45 minutes of my day.  Take my poll and let me know how you feel about this experience.....

 

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Honestly Linda I don't know that I would have waited that long to get him going. He really was dishonest and rude to take that much time on top of it.
Barbara

Anonymous said...

I would have "escorted" his ass out the door in a New York minute.

Jimmy
http://journals.aol.com/jimsulliv3/jimmys-journal/

Anonymous said...

Dearest Linda,

As I read this I am reminded that the ONLY thing in life that is FREE is salvation...but apart from this my concern is the fact of him being in your home while you were alone etc. etc.
I myself came to a stark thought one day of a situation on our boat cruise that was really not very wise of me...and although nothing happened in this day and age you have to be careful.
Our problem is we are trusting and honest people and ASSUME everyone else is as well...I think you may know what assume stands for??

Anyway I understand your conscience about the comment to get rid of him...
I would suggest you call the BBB or your local office that issues licenses etc. etc. and lay a complaint if you can.....

I would also call the company that he represent and talk with someone in "authority" and express you complaint as well as inform them of your procedures to register a complaint.

Love you and so look forward to our "actual" meeting... Already I am starting to get excited about our cruise.

Hubby has to buy some binoculars for sure.

Blessings,

Lori

http://journals.aol.co.uk/abicequeen/lori's-letter-box

Anonymous said...


Linda, I agree with all of the above comments.  Also, definitely contact AARP and tell them what he did and what he was like.  I hope you have his name.

Anonymous said...

Were you wrong in lying....are you kidding????  That guy would not have lasted 5 minutes with me before he was thrown out of the house!  What a jerk, gawking at everything and all the questions...using your bathroom (NO WAY) and then asking for water!!!  I think you were more than patient with him and I would contact AARP and let them know what he did.  Geez, what nerve!
Lisa

Anonymous said...

What an A-1 JERK .. agree with the others, he would not have lasted any time at all in my house!   He had no right to be checking out your pictures, OR using your bathroom ... no way!   I also think you should report him to AARP, for sure.  Judy

Anonymous said...

I don't like that one bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It would have made me very nervous that he was "eyeballin" my stuff, family photos and sitting his bum on my toilet.  I wish you would have told him to drop off the extinguiser on the door step.  Be careful and please report him to the AARP people.  

Anonymous said...

Grrrr!  I hate when stuff like that happens.  Total waste of time!
Traci

Anonymous said...

Thats kind of scary.  Like he was casing your house.  I had that happen when I was a young newlywed.  I let in 2 sweeper salesman.  I could not get rid of them and they became very agitated when I said I could not afford their vacuum cleaner.  SCARY!!!!
                           Marlene
     http://journals.aol.com/domsmom27/one-day-at-a-time

Anonymous said...

I couldn't take your poll-after each question you need a yes-or-no
So my answer is yes for the first and
No for the second.
connie

Anonymous said...

First of all I have a rule, no salesmen in my house. Someone comes to my front door the only conversation they will have is standing in the sun/wind/rain whatever is going on...but not inside the house. Makes them be real quick with their speal..lol.  You have to be as brash as they are...open the door and ask "where's my fire extinguisher?" When he hands it over, say Thanks...goodbye...lol...love, Sandi