I Don't No

As I am marching proudly through my adult years, an unsettling pattern is emerging.  Everyone who knocks on my door to sell magazines or cookies can verify.  I simply cannot say no to people who are trying to pressure me to buy something.  This seems to be commonly known by all.

More than once I have bought overpriced magazine subscriptions from strangers at the door who told me they were involved in some sort of selling competition and needed my personal check to help them succeed.  They even convinced me to write two separate checks for more money so they could each qualify for some stupid level.  (Before you think I'm a complete idiot, I called later in the day to cancel my order and check... then hoped those hoodlums wouldn't come back and slash my tires for keeping them from winning their competition)

Once again, the No Backbone Syndrome befell me yesterday.  My sister and I were on a hunt for cheap bar stools that can only be found at Ikea.  We went to a Bar and Billiard store and pretty much knew immediately that we were out of our price range.  But before we could turn around and walk out, a saleswoman (I'm so politically correct!) asked what we were looking for and told us to go look on their upper floor.  Of course we obeyed.  We made a round and tried to silently depart but the before we could make it to the door, the saleswoman chased me down again and demanded to know exactly what I was looking for.  When I told her about the Ikea stool, she scoffed at me and told me she wouldn't put her children on a stool of that quality.  I received her judgment with grace and let her pressure me back upstairs to show me stools that were hundreds of dollars out of my reach.  I kept saying no, which made me proud of myself until she pulled one out and used her selling wiles on me.  I told her I would have to talk to my husband.  These stools were five times the amount of my Ikea chose.  She got me to pick out color and finish and then even put together a written proposal and made me give her my personal information.  All the while, my mind was screaming "Get me out of here!" but I couldn't make myself stop the process to leave.  My sister was in awe of my spinelessness.

I'm including a picture of the proposal.  That's right, total price $320.02.

I have no intention of buying this expensive stool that is custom made and takes months to be delivered.  I still want the $19.99 Ikea stool but have been too busy/lazy to drive two hours to get it.

I don't know what the heck is wrong with me!?  I say no all the time in the course of my life.  For example, "Lily, do you want to eat these green peppers I grew in my garden."  "NO!"  "Lily, do you think you could shave your legs more than once a season?"  "Sorry, no."  "Lily, do you want to babysit my kids?"  "Absolutely not"

But something about a stranger requesting/demanding something of me tends to paralyze my will.  I'm just glad that so far no one has asked me to give them one of my cats... on second thought...

I think I might need some kind of Yes-Pressure Detox; it will entail sitting on the couch, eating cake, watching Pride and Prejudice.  That ought to do it.  I might need a few rounds before I'm cured.  I'll report back with the results of this study.  In the meantime, I hope no one knocks on my door...