Can I have some space here, please?

Angry Nerd
http://www.clker.com

By NOT SO FLAWLESS
 
STOP being in my face! That’s what I want to tell all those aggressive beauty sales assistants stationed at their beauty counters in the shopping malls. Not only are they a nuisance when they harassed shoppers to stop by and try their products they are also a complete insensitive, sour-grape who feed on a shopper’s less-than-flawless skin to get their attention. Is it really worth the money they make when shoppers buy their products just to get them off their back?

Without fail some persistent beauty assistant will approach me whenever I’m in the mall with a polite ‘call-out’ of “Hello, can I take a few minutes of your time?” Ninety-five percent of the time I would just brush them aside with a shake of the head, or give them a disinterested look, sullen at times and even resorting to quickening my pace. These reactions will stop them in their track BUT when I do the opposite, such as shaking my head and smiling politely with a “no thank you” it only encourages them to ‘pursue’ their sales tactics. I’ve done this many times before and I’m 100% sure it backfires every time!

Don’t they get it? I was just being respectful of their jobs! They have to work to earn a living to feed and clothe themselves and whoever else under their care. They will resort to all kinds of tactics to make a sale. Yes! I understand about ‘rice bowls’ and ‘choices’ and that sometimes in life we don’t have a choice on what jobs we take on due to limitations. And that is why most times us shoppers stay calm and polite to their ‘advances’. So once and for all try thinking about us, the shoppers, who is at the other end of their receiving stick! Shouldn’t we be allowed our freedom of choice, whether to let them feed us with the unwanted information or let off because we have been subtle and polite in rejecting them?

No, I don’t want to test their new skincare range to rid my face of pigmentation. And yes I do use make-up removers, cleansers, astringents instead of hard soaps when I cleanse my skin every morning and evening and after every session of stripping off my make-up. And yes I use scrubs and day and night creams and moisturizers. So don’t start pointing at my pigmentation and say “Have you ever heard of dead-sea salt?” What? You think I live under a coconut shell?

And you know what? Nothing stops their misplaced insistence. If they can’t persuade you then they will start picking on your other ‘flaws’. “Mam.” I heard that voice again. “You know those skin areas under your eyes, you …” I stopped him short and said, “Yes, they are there because I have not had enough sleep and not because I do not take care of my skin.”

He shuts up and I walked away. As I turned the corner I spotted the back of his hair. Aha! Now, where’s the pharmacy. I’m going to splurge some money on a hair tonic and give it to him as a present. That might help him think the next time he approaches a customer!