I don’t think any of us are fans of door-to-door salesmen but I did get a good laugh last night.  Each year the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sends out college-aged kids to try to sell subscriptions.  A kid in his early 20s rang the doorbell last evening and I opened the door, Katie in one arm, with a “What am I being interrupted for?” scowl on my face.  It’s a good idea to have a kid with you because you can claim that it’s bedtime and you have no time for talking.

It was obvious the poor kid would rather be anywhere else except maybe for waking up in the dungeon from the ‘Saw’ movies.  He began his half-hearted, and very brief, pitch.

“Do you get the AJC?”

“No, I get the New York Times.”

“Ehh, me too. Appreciate your time.”

No counter-pitch.  No begging.  Nothing.  He then walks off into the sunset.

Shortest….Pitch….Ever.

What cracked me up is his admission that he also doesn’t get the AJC and reads the same paper as I do.  Combine that with his utter lack of enthusiasm (which I can totally understand, given what he's selling) and he's maybe 4 or 5 rejections away from slamming his clipboard to the ground and yelling "Fuck it, I quit!"