Sales people at the kiosks in the mall...

So I am fairly annoyed at these little kiosks in the mall. Particularly the ones with that oily hand scrub stuff. They demo it and show you all the shit that is coming off the hands that you considered "clean".

Shirley and I got suckered into this demo a few years ago while on our Sweet 16 NYC trip for Shannon. Our hands were gross but not really surprising considering we trekked through NYC all day. Anyhoo they were nice and soft and smooth and then they told us it was like $40 for a pot of this stuff. We thanked the gentleman nicely and went on our way. Just in case you are interested I found a similar product at Wal-Mart a few weeks later in a much larger pot for I think $7. Can you take a wild guess what Shirley got for Christmas that year?

So now these same kiosks have turned up in our local malls. In the past I never really felt threatened by these kiosk dwellers. Most of them seemed like they were happy just to sit there all day and wait for you to come and see them. Happy to sit there and read a National Enquirer and collect their $8 hourly wage (or whatever minimum wage is these days). Not these hand people.

I got caught a few weeks ago. I avoided eye contact and as I hurried by said a quick "No thank you!". Yesterday was different. The guy kind of jumped out at me and was waving his little towel and a brochure. I was on company business (I swear I am not lying) and I was in a rush. I think he could see I was annoyed and he got out of my way. Sadly I head to back that way. So his little friend got me again on the other side. Another jump - I told him I had no time. Then he says to me. "Hey lady, I just want to ask you a question". Sorry! Gotta run! Then not 10 feet away is another kiosk. This one is for some nail decorations or manicure products. No jumping involved this time but still quite aggressive in her approach. I avoided eye contact yet again and she says to me as I passed by " Hey lady I just want to ask you a question."

I get these people have to sell - I bet they don't even make minimum wage - it is probably all about commissions for them but if I say no thanks or I am not making any eye contact with you whatsoever, you would THINK that would be a hint that you are not going to be getting any interest from me. Oh and the next time..jumping in front of me might just get ya a knee to the groin.

I felt like I was back at the Mexican flea market or on the corner of a busy NYC street being hunted by bus tour companies.