Last week I was working in my little hole in the wall used bookstore, chatting it up with a regular customer when a young guy in a suit and tie moseyed in. I knew when he walked in without the slightest interest in looking around that he was looking to sell me something. For some reason, the salesey type people flock to this little bookstore. Food, trinkets, and in this case--coupons. As soon as my customer left he started chatting me up, as the salesies do. I was giving my typical responses. Hi. I'm fine, thanks. I'm poor, before you waste anymore of your time on me. But then he asked me the question that, for some reason, was what got me.
"Do you like baseball?"
Yes...yes, I do like baseball. In fact, I had just been thinking about how much I missed baseball games. I usually went to one or two in San Fran and my summer was feeling a little empty without them.
"Don't you just love being in a ballpark?"
Yes!! I do love being in the ballpark!
We proceeded to talk baseball and teams and hot dogs and finally, the Seattle Mariners. Just three hours way, their park is. Same distance from Fresno to SF. And according to this guy, the parks were comparable. The M's play right on the water too. I would have to look over the fact that they play for the American league, but still--baseball is baseball, right?
Suddenly, I was caught up in this little fantasy of a perfect little baseball-filled weekend, where we could enjoy the city and a great game, and it would be amazingly cheaper with these coupons!! The greatest idea. Ever.
It was the weirdest thing. Five minutes later, when this guy was gone and the haze subsided I realized, that idiot just suckered me out of $30 bucks worth of Mariners "2 for the price of 1" coupons. I attribute this to the aforementioned longing to see a game, and also the fact that I was going on about my 49th hour of work that week when Mr. Coupon caught up with me. I immediately felt sick and called McKay who was bewildered.
He said, "You never do things like that!"
"I know!," I said, equally bewildered.
"When are we going to be able to get to Seattle?," he asked.
"I...don't know!," I answered.
That's when I freaked out on him and told him I was tired when I bought them and I wasn't thinking straight and I like baseball and I'm sorry and it was dumb I know and he didn't have to rub it in and in a nutshell totally overreacted due to my own feelings of stupidity over the whole thing.
Now that the money is spent and I have the coupons in-hand I am determined to use them. Fantasy weekend or no. If I have to camp overnight in the parking lot of the stadium, so be it. I am getting my 30 dollars worth. And if you happen to be interested in catching a Mariners game this season and will be in the Seattle area, you let me know.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Amanda, don't beat yourself up. While I like to think that my mind is too powerful for a smarmy salesperson to manipulate, the infomercials seem to get me everytime.
ie: Proactive? Yup. I mean, with Jessica Simpson and Lindsey Lohan as spokespersons, how could I resist? Good product, however I get the same result now by using the Dr. Wexler line at B&B (she helped develop proactive) with out the drying and added anti-aging.
Windsor Pilates? Uh-huh. And they work when I actually do them. I sometimes refer to them as the flaming abdominal workout. They really should market them as such. I'm talking to Daisy Fuentes about it.
Bare Escentuals bare minerals? Yeah baby.
And I have pretty much sold my whole family on it. Among others.
I also like filling my prescriptions at Target because they have pretty bottles. I am a sucker. I might have to write a post about it ON MY OWN BLOG.
Yep. Don't feel bad. Those salespeople get me everytime on the vacuum thing. "We want to demonstrate our new carpet cleaning foam. Do you have a patch of carpet that has been stained?"
"Heck yes!" (there's a constant array of stains with 3 small kids and a husband)
"Okay, great! It will only take about 20 mins."
"Super!" (Getting my carpet cleaned for free! Yee-haw!)
2 hours later they have tried to sell me some sort of Kirby vacuum "because we can't clean your carpet without vacuuming it first or else we will just make a lot of mud" and it's like $2,000 or some dumb thing.
Granted, we don't end up buying the vacuum, but I do end up with clean carpet! Andy gets mad cuz they have overstayed their welcome by 2 hours and somehow I've fallen for it about 3 times now!!! I know I can't be *that* dumb.
And just like Sarita, maybe I should make my own post about this...
well.....Britten knows...I BOUGHT the kirby vacuum! oh my gosh!!!!
do not feel bad. I have done it so many times....pizza coupons, the Entertainment Book, Pilates (yes, Sarita they would work if i used the dvd!), some kind of cleaner that a poor looking man sold me....and i've even let some toothless guy paint my house numbers on my curb. Do NOT feel bad. so...did you get to go to your baseball game? i love baseball.
I must confess, I am not a baseball lover of any sort, but I could give you free accomadations, unless you want to camp in the parking lot, in which case, don't let me come between you and your perfect baseball fantasy!
If this is the heather b george I think it is, how are you??!! I'm so excited you came to my blog!!
If it is not the heather b george I'm thinking of, I don't sleep with strangers. Unless those strangers frequently roll off the bed or wake up intermittently throughout the night attempting to remove their shoes.
So mandy, are you saying you'll sleep with me if I promise to roll off the bed and remove (or not remove my shoes) while acting looney?? I'll send you a real email (assuming the address I have is any good).
Post a Comment