A few weeks ago, I arrived home and noticed a light blue car driving slowly down the street. It was a large Olds or Caddy or some other old-lady-mobile. As I got out of the car, I noticed the other car inching closer to the house. I opened the back door and started to get Cordy out of her car seat, when the car suddenly picked up speed and quickly turned into my driveway. No big deal, I thought. We’re at the end of the street, and lots of people turn into our driveway to turn around.
But then an older lady jumped out of the car and walked up to me. She introduced herself as the Avon rep. for the neighborhood and asked if she could leave a catalog with me. I, of course, am trying to get a tired toddler out of the car, and really don’t have time to talk, so I quickly accept just to get her to leave. Plus, my family purchases lotion and other items from Avon every now and then, so I thought maybe I’d find something sometime.
Wrong decision. Upon accepting that first catalog, she whipped out her little notebook and asked for my name, phone number, address, and blood type. (Just kidding about the last one. Or am I?) So, while holding a semi-awake, unhappy toddler, I blurted out all of the information just to get inside. She mentioned she’d give me a call in a week or so to see if I had an order.
Well, this Thursday, I was taking Cordy out to the car to go to the park. It was a beautiful morning, and the street was quiet. I strapped Cordy into her car seat, and then as I shut the door I was surprised to find the light-blue old-lady-mobile in the driveway blocking us in. What the…where the hell did she COME from?? I swear she appeared out of nowhere.
“Hi, I was just wondering if you had an order to place?”
“Um, uh, no, not yet. I have looked through the catalog, but I haven’t decided on anything.”
“No? Well, when do you think you will have an order ready?”
“Uh, I’m not sure. I’ve been very busy lately, so I haven’t had time to really sit down and think about it. I mean, I do have a toddler and I work as well.”
“Oh, honey, that’s nothing. I’m watching my two grandkids today.”(no kids in the car)”So you think you’ll have your decision in a few days?”
“I don’t know. I’m busy. Listen, I’ll give you a call when I’m ready, OK?”
She agreed and finally let us leave the driveway. Even though she was a little pushy, I find it hard to be mean to older people. It’s something I need to work on, I guess, because Saturday morning, as I was loading Cordy into the car, I felt the presence of the light-blue car. Sure enough, there was the white-haired lady, standing next to her car that was blocking me in again. How does she DO that? Is she waiting around the corner, watching for me with spy binoculars or something? Do Avon ladies sell their souls to the devil for that power?
“Hi, honey, I was wondering if you’ve had time to ready an order?”
“No, not yet. I told you, I’m busy, and I just haven’t had the time.”
(You’d have thought I killed her grandkids by the look on her face.) “Oh, well, I’m leaving for Pigeon Forge on Monday, and I was hoping you’d have your order ready.”
“I promise I’ll call if I have an order for you, OK? I’ll just leave you a message while you’re gone if I think of anything.”
“Well, if the power goes out, our messages get erased and I’d miss it.”
“I’ll take that chance.”
I tell her I must leave, and she grudgingly lets me pass. I am being stalked by the Avon Lady. Anytime I leave the house, I glance around, looking for her car, wondering if she’s going to magically appear in my driveway. She’s worse than a car salesman after you test drive a car. (Do they EVER stop calling?) At least the car salesman doesn’t come to your house.
I was thinking of ordering some sunscreen, but I wonder if that will only encourage her? I feel trapped in the Avon Lady’s grasp. I had no idea accepting a catalog would lead to this.
In the past, I had considered trying a direct-sales work-from-home plan instead of working outside the home. But I now know: I would never make it in the direct-sales field. Not if I have to compete against the likes of women like the Avon Lady with demonic powers of appearing out of nowhere and a personality comparable to sandpaper.
You know, when I’ve thought about the danger of being stalked, I never imagined it quite like this. What does this say about my life, when I’m stalked by the Avon Lady and not by a young psycho guy?
I hate being stalked by either the Avon or Mary Kay lady. I was both before, and could NEVER do anything like that to people. I couldn’t even be pushy, so those jobs never worked for me.
Poor you, what a pain in the ass!
hehe that sounds so scary! I miss my old rep…she never asked but always delivered on time! Now hmm I do not think I want anything 😛
girlfriend, I will always tell them no, I don’t use the stuff and then the next day, I’ll see someone with something and when I ask about it, they will insist it came from Avon and I should so get a catalog…I mean….why do they have to be so pushhhhhhhhhhy?
That’s freakin’ creepy. I have to say I’ve never been approached by anybody at Avon, Mary Kay, nothing like that. (Watch, now they’ll be outside my house tomorrow). Next time, tell her there’s this new thing called voice mail and to get rid of her outdated answering machine and she won’t have to worry about missing your message.
That is scary as hell. You may be forced to take drastic action…like actually confronting her truthfully LOL. I hate confrontation, so I know what you are going through.
One time Mr Stapler got tired of the bum on his city block begging change from him, so he bought him a bucket and wash equipment, telling him he could wash windows for money. He thought he wouldn’t have to interact with Mr Bum anymore. Wrong.
His life became a nightmare because Mr Bum would always run up and tell him how his bucket had gotten stolen or how he was out of soap or some other excuse he still needed cash. It was 10x worse than before. No good deed goes unpunished.
I did the avon lady thing for awhile, really enjoyed it too! But I was NEVER like that…one phonecall from me and that was it..everyone had my number and when to call me by……next time she comes round tell her your buying it from your sister!!
Be afraid – be very afraid! I’m scared just reading about it!
stalking 101 is not a pre-req to direct sales. 🙂
LOL..that’s too funny that you are being stalked by the avon lady. I order a few things from avon but lately I can’t find anyone around here that sells it and if you order online the shipping is outrageous so I guess I’ll have to go elsewhere…
Yes, Mary Kay and Longaberger ladies are worse! No offense to anyone, but I’ve encountered some really pushy reps.
It’s so hard to just say no!
I used to be a Mary Kay lady. It sucks … well I shouldn’t say that. It sucked for me. I am soooo not the type of person to hound you with phone calls or come over and give you a facial. I don’t know how I got sucked in … maybe it was the promise of a pink car or something. Anyway, if you don’t want this woman around for the rest of your life, get your sunscreen elsewhere sister!!
I’m sorry, but I laughed at this. I can just picture this old blue-hair in her old-lady car, blocking your driveway. I’m sure she does have binoculars and she does stake-outs aroun the corner from you! She picked you because you have a child, and thus takes you longer to get loaded into the car. It’s her window of opportunity!
Note to self: Don’t make eye contact with the Avon Lady. If one is spotted, run far, far away as quickly as possible.
Thanks for the PSA!
at this point… buying anything would just egg her on even further. I suggest you take the easy way out and MOVE.
Over zealous salespeople are scary. Add a mask of painted on makeup and toiletries and you get downright horrifying. I’m with Chicky, avoid eye contact.
Consider a restraing order!
Tell her to bugger off. If that doesn’t work, report her to her superiors. If THAT doesn’t work, make sure there’s at least one sword in the car next time she tries to corner you…sort of kidding about that last bit. ~_^
I love Avon but I hate being stalked as well. Thankfully my (old, now no-more) Avon lady didn’t force me to order. Now I just order when I need my eyeliner through a friend who just does it for extra cash.
Can I admit that I laughed while reading this?
I’m sorry the Avon lady was stalking you. I’m sorry but I can’t stop laughing. I am in tears!