See, Gary and I are similar in many ways, and different in others. One of the ways we are different that I love is that he is comfortable dickering. . . for cars, for carpet, and apparently for vacuums. Last week we bought a new vacuum and late last week, we received a "salesperson-drive-me-crazy-I-won't-even-answer-the-phone" phone call. I just don't even deal with it. Arbor insurance has been calling regularly as has "incoming call". I don't want to talk to either of them.
Anyway, Gary picked up the phone and saw an opportunity to get our carpets cleaned by the Kirby vacuum company. I told him that was fine, but I would have nothing to do with it. NOTHING. I am not good at such things. (As a side note: while living in Chicago we got new carpet from Empire. They come to your house and then try to make the big sale. I hid in the laundry room while Gary negotiated the price: it makes me so very uncomfortable!) So, Gary told the guy that we just bought a vacuum. . . we were not going to buy anything. He was honest from the get-go. Me--I'm just uncomfortable.
Monday night: he shows up, Gary is in the back yard, Chris tries to "be friendly" with me "Hey, how are you? I'm Chris, what is your name? blah blah blah". I reply, "I have nothing to do with this. Let me get my husband." He seemed a little stunned. I take the kids downstairs. We play, we read books, we get ready for bed. I put them in bed and retire to our bedroom with Penny (she goes to bed later that stinker). I could hear Chris making his pitches to Gary. Blah blah blah. "I'll buy back your vacuum." "Don't you want the best?" "Look at all the dirt that came up with this." "So Gary, what do you do?" (Like he really cares!) My personal favorite was, "If you had cancer, wouldn't you want the best treatment?" Comparing a vacuum to cancer isn't even like comparing apples to oranges. It is like comparing apples to Persian rugs.
Not. Even. Close.
Periodically, Gary would come into the bedroom and give me a report. . . the new price he was quoting etc. At one point, Chris is pointing out how easy it is to use. . . wouldn't Shawnda (that is how he pronounced it) like to try?" Gary says, "no". Remember: I am in no way involved.
Towards the end, Chris changes tactics. He seems a little perturbed that Gary needs to keep coming to the bedroom to "check" with me. He isn't really checking. I'm not paying $2100.00 for a vacuum. Nope. We just enjoy laughing about it together. I'm not even going to pay $1500.00 for the vacuum (the final offer). He starts saying things like "So, you need to go and check with the boss?" Like calling me the boss is going to make Gary upset. He is the head of our house, he loves me like Christ loved the church. . . you know. . . like God told him to do.
So, Chris vacuumed and shampooed our carpets. It was free (money wise), although it took about two hours of time. Me? I had nothing to do with it.
1 comment:
i full on admit, i was the sucker that fell for the sales pitch. the sales-dude was ONE sale away from a trip to Vegas. HELLO! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? it was a weak moment-the WORST investment we EVER made. i will never be the same.
and the kicker of it is, we bought it because we were going to SAVE all this money on carpet cleaning and i'll have you know, i have NO idea how to work that little 'feature'. yup, spent $300 plus to have my carpets cleaned last year. oh drat....live and learn.
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