solar vs the charity leech

[solar]

Just a point of reference, around here, we call the people who sit at tables near supermarkets trying to get people to sign up for monthly donations to charities - "charity leeches'. (often called this because their enthusiasm for the cause is often seen as insidious marketing so they can get their commissions from sign ups).

Personally, I do not have any problems with them, as I do not have problems with any form of salespeople - it's a job - but after being told 'no' once, I become less polite.

Just before last Christmas, I joined the throng of consumers in a shopping mall near home, this mall is double storey, and generally one path in front of the shops (with the food court off to the side and the obligatory Santa).

Anyway, right there in the midst of the walkway was a table with a bundle of charity leeches - 5 in all.

Now I am usually polite, but that day, I had a number of errands to do that required me to walk back and forth along that walkway. I am also just over 2 metres (6'7) tall.

CL - charity leech (barely 5'6 ish)
Me - me

Round 1: me wandering to the clothes store

CL: Hey mate! how are you?
Me: fine <my mistake, I should remember to never engage in conversation with them when I am busy).
CL: Are you interested in donating to such and such cause?
Me: Sure, I'll give $10
CL: um, no - you need to sign up for a monthly plan, the minimum is $30 per month, so if I can get your credit card number...
Me: Gonna stop you there mate, I am not signing up for a monthly plan, already do that for two charities
CL: which ones?
Me: well, with due respect, that is none of your concern.
CL: Well, we're better and more important than what you support
Me: and how would you know this? I have never told you who I donate to, and I have got to go shopping

I walked to the shop

Round 2: walking back to the newsagent

CL: Heeeey buddy, c'mon...
Me: no thanks

kept on walking

Round 3: walking the other way to the florist (flowers for mum!)

CL: Heey ma...
Me: NO

kept on walking

Round 4: walking towards the food court

CL - blocking my path: Look, you need to sign up and donate to this, or else these poor people in far-off-land will die.
Me - staring and speaking calmly: I. Said. No.

and tried to walk around him, he stepped in my way again

CL - look, I have a target amount of sign ups and you need to help me get there.
Me - still staring and speaking calmly: no, you need to step out of my path.

I quickly moved to the side and kept on walking, ordered and got my meal, sat down and ate.

Final round: meal finished, shopping finished, heading towards the exit, hence past the CL table... I note that the mall security were and they were hurriedly packing up..

Me to CL in a sweet voice while waving: MERRY CHRISTMAS!
CL to me: <death glare>

[otakuneko]

Methinks you weren't the only one they were so pushy with.

Around here, they'd risk getting hurt for that kind of crap. And by hurt I mean anything up to and including shot.

If I were more cynical, I might say that's why here, we use children for that.

[MoonCat]

Oh, you NEED to do this-n-that, huh? On his say-so? HELL no.

($30 a month MINIMUM?)

[Pixilated]

It's amazing how fast, "Sorry, I'm unemployed" can shut people up. I plan to keep on using it even after I (*fingers and toes crossed*) get back into fulltime work.

Although with that particular guy ... even that might not have worked.

[NorthernZel]

It's amazing how fast, "Sorry, I'm unemployed" can shut people up. I plan to keep on using it even after I (*fingers and toes crossed*) get back into fulltime work.

Although with that particular guy ... even that might not have worked.

I betcha it won't. We have our own "leeches" over here, if you even dare to use the words "I can't afford it" they'll be replying right back "but surely you can give up two packs of cigarettes/one nice steak dinner/a cinema ticket to support the needy so they don't DIE, can't you?!" (insert puppy stare here)

[Pixilated]

I betcha it won't. We have our own "leeches" over here, if you even dare to use the words "I can't afford it" they'll be replying right back "but surely you can give up two packs of cigarettes/one nice steak dinner/a cinema ticket to support the needy so they don't DIE, can't you?!" (insert puppy stare here)

Ohhh, the old guilt trip attempt! If I were thinking fast enough (never a guarantee), I'd borrow a slightly revised Han Solo quip ("Better them than me") and keep walking.

I don't mind people asking me to help the needy, and certainly if I can, I will, but to be badgered like that, by somebody who clearly remembers already asking me and being already refused, negates any requirement that I be "nice" in my reply.

[Jetfire]

I don't mind being asked. I'm minorly annoyed if they ask again, but if time's gone by, then I give the benefit of the doubt.

But the moment they start blocking me from getting from A to B, I'm calling mall security. (Which it sounds like someone did in that case).

Honestly, the more pushy they get, the more suspicious I'd get of their cause(s). Especially if there are catches like $30 minimum per month.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Ohhh, the old guilt trip attempt! If I were thinking fast enough (never a guarantee), I'd borrow a slightly revised Han Solo quip ("Better them than me") and keep walking.

Never use a guilt trip on a MOM. Or at least mine - she'll give YOU one in a heartbeat.

She had one charity that she used to give an annual donation to contact her wanting at least X per month.

Didn't work with Mom . . . she told them she'd love for them to give HER that much a month to help out, seeing that she was disabled and in a wheelchair and no longer able to work and take care of her mentally challenged son financially on her own.

Don't think they called back.

[wolfie]

CL - blocking my path: Look, you need to sign up and donate to this, or else these poor people in far-off-land will die.

To quote Charles Dickens (given the seasonal setting, the novel in question is highly appropriate) "All the better to reduce the surplus population"

CL - look, I have a target amount of sign ups and you need to help me get there.

And I have a target number of tackles to make in off-season practice for my football team.

[ComputerNecromancer]

I betcha it won't. We have our own "leeches" over here, if you even dare to use the words "I can't afford it" they'll be replying right back "but surely you can give up two packs of cigarettes/one nice steak dinner/a cinema ticket to support the needy so they don't DIE, can't you?!" (insert puppy stare here)

Me: "I don't smoke. I haven't been to a movie in years. And I wish I could afford a steak dinner."

[solar]

Where I used to live, many of these leeches would go from door to door trying to get signups of monthly donations... they were persistent, until I answered the door, dressed as a zombie...

[fireheart]

I betcha it won't. We have our own "leeches" over here, if you even dare to use the words "I can't afford it" they'll be replying right back "but surely you can give up two packs of cigarettes/one nice steak dinner/a cinema ticket to support the needy so they don't DIE, can't you?!" (insert puppy stare here)

That's when I'd ask "So why don't you?"

[the lawsmeister]

Back when I was working retailer we'd have them come into the furniture store despite the signs on the door telling them to bugger off. Usually we'd just say sorry and ask them to leave but after I'd put in my resignation we had one come in that I decided to have fun with.

CL; For just $X.XX per week [charity] can buy blah blah blah.
Me: I'm sorry I can't afford that. Perhaps if I earned a bit more by selling this furniture I could. Maybe you could help out with that. Right here we have a [brand] sofa which is $XXX.XX You could own it for a small payment of $X.XX per week on one of our finance deals and with the extra commission I'd make I might be able to put aside some money for.... hey come back.
CL: *leaves*

Wish I'd tried that earlier.