Okay, so anyone of you who has ever shopped at Trader Joes, Sprouts, Whole Foods or any other health food market knows by now, I'm sure, that those sly, tricky Greenpeace recruiters wait at every possible exit of those stores and DO NOT let you pass without shoving some papers in your face and asking for only a measly little monthly donation! Don't get me wrong, folks, I LOVE the environment, I even love what greenpeace is trying to do, their organization is one of the best, really. But what I dont love about them is that they are unmarried childless college students asking you to donate money thinking that its no big deal to spend a few bucks a month!!! They dont know where I'm coming from, I can't afford 10 dollars a month, I just CANT!!!! I can't even afford to pay 1 dollar every month!! If they were to pay me, now thats a whole different story, I'm sure we could work something out.
Okay, so as I went into the Veggie Grill, next to TJs in the university center, for a second I thought I saw Greenpeace out of the corner of my eye. I did a double-take, saw no hippies, then went on my merry way.
Upon leaving the Veggie Grill to make a quick stop into TJs, there standing before me to my utmost horror was in fact, not just one greanpeace volunteer, but THREE greanpeace volunteers!!
Now, I wouldnt have broken into such a cold sweat if I weren't the type of person to be ever so willing to support a "nonprofit" organization that exists solely to help the environment!! Ugg, my weakness! Also I'm really too nice to people. I think its the LDS in me, I should have had a Book of Mormon to give them in exchange!
Anyway, I immediately regretted wearing my ever so visible rainbow tye dye shirt, that I got from Target, because it drew her eyes immediately to me. She looked me dead in the eye and I knew I was caught. Luckily it was a female volunteer, those male ones are fierce!
She said "You look like someone who loves peace!"
Well of course I do, who do you think I am, a politician?!
"Yep!" I said awkwardly juggling my recent purchases. Boy, were my hands sweating now.
Noticing my longing glance to the Trader Joes entrance, She immediately began with asking for a small donation. So I was straight with her.
"Oh, man. I wish I could show you my bank statement and all my bills to prove to you guys that I really can't afford to spend a dime each month."
"You dont have to, I believe you!" she says. Sure, but you will still try to convince me to give some money.
So I played the sympathy card and told her I know money helps the most, and I wish I could, but we are poor college students...
Then she interrupts me saying that most of the donors are in fact poor college students.
So I continued saying that my husband is a full time grad student and I am a full time mom to FOUR kids!
That got her. I knew she would let me go after that.
After the initial shock and then compliments up the wazoo, she went in a different direction and began to ask me what part of the environment I was most concerned about. I played her game and told her I was concerned about all the waste and garbage. So we chatted a bit about that. She said that the donations really help the environmental concerns get heard in Washington, because most politicians aren't really concerned since the scientists are saying that it wont be for another forty or so years until these horrible things impact the environment.
That got ME going. If there's one thing in the whole world I cant stand, its selfish people, and politicians are a prime model of selfishness.
With the blood in my veins starting to boil, I agreed with her and stated, my voice rising with my blood pressure, "Yeah! They don't care about these problems because they aren't even going to be here when this stuff ruins the earth! WE (the college students) are the ones who are going to be here! We are the future and we need to do something about it!" (or something along those lines)
My raised voice sparked interest in the nearby supervisor and the other volunteer, who were both pretty much cheering me on as I ranted a little bit more about it (I coulda used a soap box right about then).
Then the supervisor turns to the girl, who began to look a bit sheepish after he says, "Hey, Why is she doing your job?" but then we all had a good laugh, which allowed for my escape and I bid them good luck, saying I would indeed check out the website givin to me previously...
Situation averted!
www.greenpeace.org
2 comments:
you are so nice. but i understand how you feel. it's like we have a bullseye right on us for the most part. still it's one of the reasons i stopped going to trader joe's, though i mucst admit that here in the valley it's not so bad. most people here aren't hippies. which is good and bad.
lol-that made me laugh... I really try to avoid them at all costs!
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