Personal Improvement Time

I need to work on my "approachability".

I was walking from my office to the post office the other afternoon, about 5 blocks total, and I came to an intersection, waiting for the light to change when I noticed someone on the other corner with a clipboard gathering signatures and donations. From his lack of basic hygiene, he appeared to be an environmentalist. So I decide to take the scenic route to the post office and give this young man the opportunity to attempt to get my signature and maybe I can explain to him the reality that capitalistic societies are always, always better for the environment than socialist or communist countries. Think East Germany, North Korea etc.

So the light changes, I walk right past him... slowly. He is talking to nobody and he lets me go right past him. Not even an attempt to solicit me for a signature much less a donation. I was really, really disappointed. It reminded me of the time there was a Lyndon Larouche table setup outside the door of the post office and I walked right past that and there was no attempt to suck the brains out of my head.

So I walk a few blocks and what do I see... it is Christmas morning in the third week of October, the Larouchies have been given a day pass from the compound for recruiting purposes. My heart leapt with joy at the thought of the minutes worth of entertainment I was about to experience. They had the Impeach Cheney sign out just waiting to discuss all sorts of important world conspiracy issues. So I walk right past them... slowly... nothing.. not even a glance.

So I go into the post office and stand in line thinking maybe he is just not real big on the recruiting part of the job description. So I send a priority package, get a roll of stamps and walk out the door, not 5 feet from the table and there he is, in full on recruit mode talking to what would outwardly appear to be a normal adult male. Ok, normal adult male... for Seattle.

I have vowed that if this happens again, I will ask why it is I am not worthy of recruitment into the cult. To be continued.