venting my spleen
I met up with my husband yesterday at the farmer's market, and we bought our veggies for the week before walking up to Trader Joe's to look for their prenatal vitamins, which are the only ones that don't make me sick to my stomach, so I'm a total diva about them.
As we were walking along, carrying our local, organically-grown veggies which we get through a CSA program, some random dude with a clipboard pops out and goes, "You two look like you want to help the earth!"
I muttered to Jay, "I'm gonna hit him with my umbrella."
I hate street solicitors. Because, first of all, if I'm out walking in the city? I am going somewhere. I have a plan, sometimes a timetable, and it does not include saving the whales, sorry.
Plus, having worked in fundraising, I remember trying to tailor appeals as closely as possible to a donor's interests, which often involved pretty intensive research. Going out on the street and accosting strangers seems so lazy and insulting to the people who put actual effort into working with donors.
By that same token, I find myself most insulted by strangers who bug me about my own damn causes. I was late for a date with a friend one day when a guy stepped in front of me and said, "Do you have time for gay rights?" to which I responded, "Yes, but not now." It's like, geez, asshat, thanks for making me even later by trying to guilt trip me over something I already support.
Anyway, Trader Joe's didn't have the prenatal vitamins. Then I got a Braxton Hicks contraction on the walk back. Then guy-with-clipboard's dreadlocked counterpart hit us up with, "Can I talk to you about saving the earth?"
Because I really do try to be polite in all my dealings, no matter how bitchy I am on the inside, I smiled politely and said, "Sorry."
Instead of just wishing us a nice day, he said, "Don't be sorry! Just stop to talk to me."
Through gritted teeth, I was like, "Jay, hand me the umbrella."
Jay snorted and said, "No way. 'Pregnant Woman Accosts Hippie' is, like, The Metro's dream headline."
As we were walking along, carrying our local, organically-grown veggies which we get through a CSA program, some random dude with a clipboard pops out and goes, "You two look like you want to help the earth!"
I muttered to Jay, "I'm gonna hit him with my umbrella."
I hate street solicitors. Because, first of all, if I'm out walking in the city? I am going somewhere. I have a plan, sometimes a timetable, and it does not include saving the whales, sorry.
Plus, having worked in fundraising, I remember trying to tailor appeals as closely as possible to a donor's interests, which often involved pretty intensive research. Going out on the street and accosting strangers seems so lazy and insulting to the people who put actual effort into working with donors.
By that same token, I find myself most insulted by strangers who bug me about my own damn causes. I was late for a date with a friend one day when a guy stepped in front of me and said, "Do you have time for gay rights?" to which I responded, "Yes, but not now." It's like, geez, asshat, thanks for making me even later by trying to guilt trip me over something I already support.
Anyway, Trader Joe's didn't have the prenatal vitamins. Then I got a Braxton Hicks contraction on the walk back. Then guy-with-clipboard's dreadlocked counterpart hit us up with, "Can I talk to you about saving the earth?"
Because I really do try to be polite in all my dealings, no matter how bitchy I am on the inside, I smiled politely and said, "Sorry."
Instead of just wishing us a nice day, he said, "Don't be sorry! Just stop to talk to me."
Through gritted teeth, I was like, "Jay, hand me the umbrella."
Jay snorted and said, "No way. 'Pregnant Woman Accosts Hippie' is, like, The Metro's dream headline."