Stay Away

I hate to be tricked into opening the door. When the guy was mowing, someone knocked on the door. I looked outside by way of slightly moving the door curtain. A woman was there. I told her to back off the porch. She did not want to do so. So, I yelled loudly, motioned, and she backed down one step. Idiot. So, now we are navel to nose.

My porch is larger than I make it to be. However, there is a bookcase pulled near the door so exbf  can use it to lean on as he gets out of the door. The step up to the door is too far. So, I put two cap blocks side by side to make a place for him to step on to get up and down. I have to be careful because it is unhandy for me and makes the place my feet land awkwardly small.

Since the guy was mowing, I thought this might be his wife. No, she was a  religious person and had her little girl with her. Both were dressed in church clothes and shoes and out in the sweltering heat. I did not want the brochure she held out, but I took it out of curiosity. It was for a three-day church convention in a Civic Center 50 miles away. Now, I wonder how many contacts on these cold calls attended that?

Unfortunately, I fear my apparent receptiveness will only lead them to return. Bummer.  I need to put a note on my door.

If the guy had not been mowing, I would have yelled at her to tell me what she wanted. I would have said, "No thanks." I would not have opened the door.

Then, there are the guys with a lawnmower in the trunk of the car. One reeked of bad breath, had few teeth, had not bathed in a week and asked me if I wanted a date. Aaaagh! Unfortunately, I was in the front yard for some reason when he drove up.

Another looked me up and down and asked if I lived alone. "No, my alcoholic father lives with me and just sits and drinks and loads and unloads his gun when he is sober."

How that summer is upon us, people will find many reasons to go door to door.

Maybe I should go out cheerfully with a yardstick in my hand, and say, "Hold on. Let me knock down this wasp nest while I am out here. We can talk in a second."

Do you ever have people come to your door unbidden?  Do you know why the group who visits with brochures sends only women out? How do you thwart the unbidden visitors?  What kind of excuses do people find for coming to your door?