I Hate Flattery….

I had a busy day yesterday, ran around doing errands, shopping, Oklahoma City and my own city….Was dog-tired from it, nearly 9 hours of running here and there. Had a few minutes to wait before meeting up at a restaurant after 6 pm and went to Dollar Tree next door to browse. There was a guy & girl, college-aged, sitting outside at a table, apparently some kind of charity or something. The girl starts flattering me in a syrupy tone of voice telling me how cute my shirt was & asked me where I bought it. I told her loudly “Garage sale” and kept walking. She adds “Oh, I do love a thrifty bargain” 😖 to get me to interact. I went inside. Found canned cat food and got a case (I haven’t been able to find it in 4 Aldi stores this past week and a half) and was carrying it out. Once again she tries to interact with me asking if I time to talk about a charity. I told her no and kept going. I guess it reminded me too much of two-faced sorority girls we would encounter in our jobs at the university. And made me thankful I retired early.

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Quimliqer · 70-79, M

It’s not old age, we just have had enough. Couple weeks back the rare door to door salesman rang the bell and when I opened the door he immediately launched into how great I looked (sweats and disheveled hair) so I interjected “stop blowing smoke up my ass and tell me what you’re selling”!!
He decided to move on, but the wife was upset with me for being so blunt.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Quimliqer I don’t blame you for being blunt. It’s like they think people are so gullible they’ll fall for their flattery, pretty sure I didn’t look like the picture of energy either. Going to 12 stores & other places in 9 hours wore me out.

Quimliqer · 70-79, M

@cherokeepatti Being observant is key!!

Barny52 · 56-60, M

Just after your money !! We have energy firms salesmen wanting us to switch company’s here in uk they always start with the same rehearsed line

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Barny52 Why would you sit at a table in front of a Dollar Tree store trying to get donations? Go near Chick-Fil-A across the street, people who eat there often have $ to donate. And take a damn hint that I don’t feel like stopping by their table, the temperature was in the mid-90’s and I’m holding a case of cat food, and I’m not a spring chicken. Leave me alone. They probably signed up for volunteering to pad their college résumé to get jobs later on, not thinking that it would be so hot this time of year. I was around so many college students who talk about doing such thing.

Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M

@cherokeepatti Chick-Fil-A? That demographic never has money. They're all about keeping up appearances.

Some sorority kid in front of a store? I will ignore her melting face.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Crazywaterspring the frequent customers do have money, their food is not cheap.

Longpatrol · 31-35, M

I actually do have trouble selling stuff to older folk. They've literally heard everything before. And for some folk it's hard to engage them in a convo in which they can warm up to you.

Five years in retail, still haven't got it figured out.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Longpatrol If we are retired it’s likely we don’t have a boatload of money to buy everything that is offered to us. I get hounded at times at Sam’s Club stores by either phone companies or internet companies wanting me to switch. I tell them quickly that I am on someone else’s plan and not going to switch while I am walking away from them. No one likes an aggressive sales pitch.

Longpatrol · 31-35, M

@cherokeepatti True, sometimes sales folk should realise they are customers too, and imagine what they'd feel on the other side.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Longpatrol the quickest way to run me out of a business is to approach me as a salesperson in an aggressive manner. I’ve turned on my heel more than once and went out the door due to that. I like to be able to think silently and clearly about the things I want to purchase. Sometimes I am just going into the store to check it out and comparison shop with other stores. No amount of pushing me to buy something in that store will get me to change my mind.

UnderLockDown · M

I guess there are benefits to looking scary. 🤣 Most of the time I can pass by all of those people and they never say a word.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@UnderLockDown Panhandlers and Charity workers like to hit up older women up for donations. I guess they think we are easier to talk to and manipulate. Before this happened I drove to a gas station and filled up my car with gas and left through the back road behind the station. Two guys looking like homeless were sitting under a shade tree and smiling & waving at me as I was turning out of the drive.

SW-User

Yuck. That's why it's defined as

excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests.

SW-User

And I find it so hilarious how so many equate flattery and flattering words to kindness. 🤢

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@SW-User I find it funny that people who go over the top to use flattery to interact with people in order to solicit something think they are smart.

SW-User

@cherokeepatti Yep. People who TRY so hard to be or come off as kind are the worst. If it's not natural it's false.

BrokenAbyss

When I hear it I tune it out and go on my way I’ll not let people get away with it.

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