Gas Station Hostage Situation

I made you look, didn't I?

Don't worry - it isn't anything that made the evening news.

It is just me. I feel like a hostage sometimes when I go to the grocery store, but never at the gas station.

Please tell me you know what I'm talking about. A few weeks ago I got out of my car to pump by gas and immediately there is  a guy wiping down one of the lights on the front of my car. He points out the before and after and then starts in on the car to show off his miracle drug - removes the dirt, makes windows shine and cleans layers of bugs off of headlights.

All for the price of $30 a can or $40 for two. Hmmmm. Then perhaps I should be able to get one can for $10? No, of course not, that is not how the deal works.

I succumbed and purchased the cans. Why? Probably just to get away and promising myself I'd use it instead of paying my usual $26 to go through the car wash.


Typically this happens at the grocery store and the picture below shows why I stop going grocery shopping on Saturday mornings (especially in the February - April timeframe).

They are cute and everything, and the cookies are good. However, I shouldn't have to feel guilty if I walk by them without spending a dime. The "guilty" looks actually come from most of the parents and not the Girl Scouts themselves. After all, most of the time they are just sitting there playing and talking to each other whilst their parents ensure they make the sales.

A little entrepreneur myself, I do make exception if a child goes out of their way to do all the work of marketing to me. In fact, I'll buy two boxes and tell them to keep the change.

Almost worse is when parents bring their children's list of things to sell to work. Really? Who is this about anyway? I promptly tell them to have the kid call me and I will most likely buy. I've had some good little phone conversations with some savvy little kids that really didn't need their parents taking over their responsibility for them. My parents never did it for me and it forced me out the door and on to the street knocking on doors to find out if anyone wanted to buy anything. I did pretty well for a shy little girl. Perhaps the shyness actually helped my cause.

But, I digress. There are some places that I just want to go in and buy stuff and not be held hostage by someone forcing a product on me. Plus, if a product is good enough, why would any force be involved? Millions of dollars are being made by word of mouth through Twitter and other sites just because people have the urge to "share the gospel" about products they enjoy.

So, least there be any concern out there - no hostages were actually taken to spur on this message. I just felt like one and had to get it off my chest.

Geesh, now I'm craving thin mints.