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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to have wanted to pick a fight with the salesman who just appeared at my door?

40 replies

Greensleeves · 13/05/2010 17:14

some bloke hoping to sell me a conservatory just knocked on my door, as I approached the front door to open it I saw him picking up and looking at the vegetables in my veg box which was on the doorstep!

he put the leek down when I opened the door and launched straight into his patter, not even in a very friendly manner

"I take it you are the home owner" he says

"Yes, and I am flat broke" I snapped

door slammed

was I BU?

OP posts:

Original poster

Greensleeves · 15/05/2010 20:37

I find that a very strange perspective

I have had some god-awful spirit-crushing jobs in my time, but I don't recall ever thinking it gave me licence to be rude to strangers

Would you really be perfectly happy to see a salesman on your doorstep fingering your food?

OP posts:

FoxyRevenger · 15/05/2010 20:40

That's exactly my point. Being rude was unreasonable.

And I honestly wouldn't give a crap if a man touched my vegetables. Or at least, I would be mildly disconcerted that he felt it was ok to do so, but that's as far as it would go.

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 15/05/2010 20:40

I wouldn't take kindly to veg fingering either Greeny. Very rude.

Original poster

Greensleeves · 15/05/2010 20:49

I thought I was quite restrained, given how pissed off I was!

OP posts:

chirpee · 16/05/2010 19:27

Foxyrevenger - I'm right behind you on this one. It staggers me that there is so much anger and hatred about - and all because a guy trying to earn an honest living touched a vegetable.
There is a saying that the only way to be a happy person is to be a nice person and I so wish a lot more people out there would try it, rather than getting so worked up about nothing. And no I wouldn t have had the slightest problem if he d touched my vegetable - I would have probably struck up a conversation with him about how tasty the leeks are - perhaps the only friendly conversation he may have had all day.

Original poster

Greensleeves · 16/05/2010 19:31

hang on, anger and hatred is a bit strong!

This was a semi-tongue in cheek thing - I did think it was rude of him (I still do, in fact) but I didn't attack him or complain to his superiors - I don't HATE the poor sod

honestly

OP posts:

hmc · 16/05/2010 19:32

You came on a bit strong - but then he had a bit of a cheek.....

Original poster

Greensleeves · 16/05/2010 19:32

...and if he had been friendly and smiling I might have felt differently - I opened the door, somewhat surprised but not having mentioned the veg - and he looked me up and down and said "I take it you are the homeowner" in a really snotty voice!

OP posts:

pjmama · 16/05/2010 19:34

Knocking on the door and trying to sell you stuff is in itself a good enough reason to be given short shrift.

YANBU

Original poster

Greensleeves · 16/05/2010 19:38

I think some people have got a sort of crude make-a-scene kit in their minds into which they slot rough versions of the characters described in a given scenario - they then deliver their verdict

eg: snobby impatient middle-class organic-veg-bothering Mummy opens door to poor hunched shovering starving salesman just trying to scratch a living for his sick wife and 32 children

heartless middle-class mummy curls lip, snatches veg (to be boiled in bleach in case he has left his germs on it) and slams door, probably on his poor unshod foot

the fact that this bears NO resemblance to what actually happened on my doorstep doesn't enter into it!

OP posts:

bran · 16/05/2010 19:40

I don't know how to break this gently to all of you who are shocked at veg handling, but it's likely to have been touched by plenty of people before it landed on your doorstep or you put it into a little bag in the supermarket.

Furthermore, some of them may not have washed their hands before touching your veg.

Original poster

Greensleeves · 16/05/2010 19:42

I know that bran, but for some irrational reason I think it's rude for a salesman to stand on your doorstep rummaging through your veg box

but it was meant to be a relatively lighthearted thread, I don't want him strung up from a lamppost...

OP posts:

bran · 16/05/2010 19:45

Well I thought it was amusing, but I think most people are fairly grouchy on a wet Sunday. I'm only lighthearted because the DC went to bed without a fuss.

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 16/05/2010 20:10

Tis sunny here.

Iwonder how sorry we should be for poor salesman. My elderly parents had the joys og=f the Kirby vacuum salesman in their living room for two hours . I think my mum would have preferred he finger her veg. So to speak.

PiggyPenguin · 16/05/2010 20:24

They are getting more stroppy though, door-to-door salesmen. A few years age you would politely tell them you weren't interested and they would politely take their leave.

Twice in the past month I had horrible door-to-door salesmen. Both came at 2.00 ish (so when ds2 asleep and I'm relishing an hour, hour and a half when 'mummmee!!' is not streeched at me every nano second). I admit, I cut them both off very quickly when they started their 'patter', said - 'I'm not interested, thank you' politely and closed the door. Both times they then yelled 'in what? Interested in what?' through the door at me.

Yes, they have a shitty job. But, when I was getting up every hour to breastfeed the baby it was shitty and I didn't feel the need to go round and yell through their bloody door did I?

Sorry. Bit ranty.

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