Ding Dong

Waaaay back in my young and single days, there were two things that really irked me. After being out late on a Friday night and trying to sleep it off in on Saturday morning, the phone would ring (this was in the dark ages before Caller ID) and it would be the (now defunct, heh) Dallas Times Herald asking me for the 37th time that year if I wanted to subscribe to their paper, or the doorbell would ring and there would be two JWs standing there asking if I wanted to subscribe to their religion. [steam coming out ears]

I handled the Times Herald phone calls with a mumbled "No," unless I was really hung over cranky, in which case I'd just slam the phone down.

The JWs were usually handled with a mumbled "Not interested" and a firmly closed door. There was one morning I recall, though, when I was especially cranky and they said "We'd like to take a moment to --" and I said "Take it somewhere else" and slammed the door. (I just know they're still praying for me after all these years.) I did truly feel bad about that, you know, later.

Since then I've tried to be nicer (I mumble "Not interested" and sort of smile before closing the door.) After all, I'm older, gentler, kinder, and the Dallas Times Herald went out of business, and there's not much to complain about on a Saturday morning, anyway, when the night before my husband and I were probably up 'til almost 11:00 after having spent a wild night at the Half Price Book Store.

But this last time, I really, totally blew it. I don't know what got into me:

I. engaged. in. con-ver-sa-tion.

People, do not do this because, because ... they'll keep coming baaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

(the horror)

They've been back three times now. It so happened that Tomcat answered the door each time because I was unavailable. (Once I was out walking Scruffybutt, once I was still in bed, and once I was, um, in another room.) Each time, they left literature for me. (Which reminds me, the City finally delivered our recycling bin.)

Sooner or later, I'm going to have to take. steps. to make them go. away.

Any suggestions?