Permission Schmermission
Before entering the local Target last week, I noticed a young man at a table...who's mission it was to get people leaving the store to sign a petition. I gathered from the tempra painted posters draping the sides of the table that it was for getting an initiative on the ballot requiring parental notification before a minor can receive an abortion. I could already feel the mixture of dread and, to be honest, a little anticipation for when I would be leaving the store.
I was a perfect target (pun not intended) for him. There I am, a middle-class, Lexus driving stay-at-home-mom, shopping with her toddler daughter at a Target Store located in Buck McKeon country, Santa Clarita. The only things missing were the "W'04" sticker on the window in my car and that glassy-eyed, glazed over look brought on by too much Botox and Prozac. Certainly, he would think, that I am the very person who would sign his petition, because, afterall...it's for the good of my daughter that I do.
While I shopped I tried to think of different things I would say, depending on what he would say to me first. I played scenario's around in my head because I just hate it when I miss the opportunity to say just the right thing in a situation...only to think of the perfect zinger later when it's way too late. I was right about being a target! As I exited the store he made a bee-line for me that was almost comical to watch. Especially stepping past and around a couple of people who probably would have been happy to sign his little petition that symbolizes eroding the rights of women everywhere when it comes to their bodies.
"Good afternoon!" he says to me.
"Hi there." he coo's to my daughter in a voice too high pitched for him.
"Would you take a moment to sign a petition that would require parental notification for minors seeking an abortion?" he asks eagerly, grinning from ear to ear... why, he was positively beaming!
I laugh. Not a good laugh. More like a "you've got to be fucking kidding me" and "you aren't serious" kind of laugh. A quick, short, and to the point kind of laugh. "No, I really don't think so", I stated matter of factly.
Then he did something I just hadn't anticipated. He thanked me for my time and walked back to his table. Damn! I wanted to let him know what I thought of it! I hadn't planned on this scenario. Shoot. Opportunity missed. Oh well...
There was a petition going around in front of another store about requiring lifetime electronic GPS devices for those who've been convicted of sexual assault. Perhaps I'll go visit them.
I was a perfect target (pun not intended) for him. There I am, a middle-class, Lexus driving stay-at-home-mom, shopping with her toddler daughter at a Target Store located in Buck McKeon country, Santa Clarita. The only things missing were the "W'04" sticker on the window in my car and that glassy-eyed, glazed over look brought on by too much Botox and Prozac. Certainly, he would think, that I am the very person who would sign his petition, because, afterall...it's for the good of my daughter that I do.
While I shopped I tried to think of different things I would say, depending on what he would say to me first. I played scenario's around in my head because I just hate it when I miss the opportunity to say just the right thing in a situation...only to think of the perfect zinger later when it's way too late. I was right about being a target! As I exited the store he made a bee-line for me that was almost comical to watch. Especially stepping past and around a couple of people who probably would have been happy to sign his little petition that symbolizes eroding the rights of women everywhere when it comes to their bodies.
"Good afternoon!" he says to me.
"Hi there." he coo's to my daughter in a voice too high pitched for him.
"Would you take a moment to sign a petition that would require parental notification for minors seeking an abortion?" he asks eagerly, grinning from ear to ear... why, he was positively beaming!
I laugh. Not a good laugh. More like a "you've got to be fucking kidding me" and "you aren't serious" kind of laugh. A quick, short, and to the point kind of laugh. "No, I really don't think so", I stated matter of factly.
Then he did something I just hadn't anticipated. He thanked me for my time and walked back to his table. Damn! I wanted to let him know what I thought of it! I hadn't planned on this scenario. Shoot. Opportunity missed. Oh well...
There was a petition going around in front of another store about requiring lifetime electronic GPS devices for those who've been convicted of sexual assault. Perhaps I'll go visit them.
posted by Tootsie Farklepants at 11:53 AM
5 Comments:
We've done that with telemarketers too, who call at dinner time. Keep them on the phone, practically sign up for what they're selling, then say 'no thanks'...
Trouble on the horizon... Target banned all signature gatherers, you know!
(Except the conservative ones, wink wink)
Was this McBean + Magic Mtn?
Anyway, Target's been on my bad list ever since they started letting their pharmacists dictate what medications unmarried women should have access to. It's a shame, but there are so many damn strip mall shops it's hardly like they have stuff that can't be gotten elsewhere...
Yes, that's the one.
I hadn't heard that about their pharmacy. I didn't even know that Target HAS a pharmacy (that one doesn't...I think). Good to know.
Please don't knock the guys getting petitions signed. My nephew does this and needs the job - he supports his father who is disabled. (He's only 20 and has a lot of responsibilty on his shoulders.) This type of job gives him the flexibility to pick his hours so he can be home with his dad when he's needed.
Yes, he gets paid and he may well have been the guy you wanted to give your piece of mind to. But it's a job for him. At least the guy was polite and didn't bug you again.
Hopefully, one day he and others like him will have a petition that will be on an issue that is important to you and then you'll be glad he was out there doing his job.
Thanks.
To Anonymous~
Some of them are pushy jerks. This particular guy wasn't and I was careful to make that clear in my post.
When I see a petitioner gathering signatures, I think backwards...like this: I see what they're petitioning for, I picture it as if it is already a law in place, how does it effect everyone as a society, does it target a portion of society, does it discriminate against anyone. The governor signed it into law because state congress wrote it because it passed the vote on election day because enough signatures were gathered to put it on the ballot.
The petitioner may need the job and the signatures to get paid but the law itself is the crux of it.
And, hypocrite that I am (I'm shameless, I tell ya!) I DO HOPE that the petitioners out there gathering signatures for the issues I believe strongly in...are cramming it down peoples throats! ;)
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