Now that I no longer live in a secure building and I'm in house in the burbs, I have one extra headache to deal with- besides fussy old neighbours and their protests to council against the renovations to our home messing with the "character" of their street, AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!
At around 4-7pm everyday, there will be a variety of door knockers (from salesmen, charities who want a donation, school raffles, neighbourhood petitions) who usually interrupt either when I'm breastfeeding or making dinner or on the shitter. Usually I'm pretty polite and quickly turn away salesmen- but one particular cocky little shit got my goat one day.
This is how it went, more or less:
Salesman: Hello how are you- I'm ABC from XYZ and wow- what are you cooking for dinner? Smells SPICY!
(So he sees I'm somewhat asian in appearance and so automatically the guesses are that I'm cooking some asian dish, right? This is one of my pet hates about sales pitches- get familiar and try to identify with me, eh? EH?)
Me: I'm making Spaghetti Bolognaise. Not very spicy is it. What is it that you want?
Salesman: XYZ are having a special limited offer for DEF plus JKL for X weeks only. This is only available to the residents of GHI.
Me: No, sorry we already have DEF. That's enough for us.
Salesman: Whaaat? You don't want JKL? Come oooon, you're asians! You can QWERTY your ASDFGs! You guys would love it!!!!!
(I think steam is escaping from my ears at this point. Oh just because we're asian we all have to love ASDFG????)
Me:......*Slams door in his face*
I'm a mix of asian but I am asian in appearance. I hate to be stereotyped.
Just like urban Australians would hate people who thought that they were all like Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin. Right? Get it?
4 comments:
oh yeah. serve it to them, they deserve it. if i ever move into a house in the future, i'm going to make a sign "owner is deaf and can't hear you knocking."
I hate sales through the phone too. :( They call at awkward times n i am too polite to just hang up. The salesman u described is too overbearing. Almost rude
UGH, you and be both, I freaking hate being stereotyped, it happens all the time.
You have to be kidding, there is no doubt that we are different culturally but it should not be a divide... I feel out of place all the damn time... Japan International.. yea..right!
I had old women following me around when I was in the burbs.. and what is up with the protest... I remember when I was in S.F. living in he Hills, a person below wanting to build their dream home but kept getting knocked down... it would have not impeded the other neighbors view of the Ocean for goodness sake, I just said.. I don't care and would not sign the petition.
Then another came in my face about being 2 cm over in their land... Do they not have anything better to do?
What if we stereotyped all AU's of being former children of prisoners.
Gabe: I'm thinking of putting up some signage but then again I'd have to deal with what the neighbours might do....Oh do I envy you in Surry Hills.
Bengbeng: I'm pretty cool with hanging up on phone salespeople, I find that works best. They wouldn't waste money or time to call back if you keep hanging up.
April: I guess you go through the same thing in Tokyo with people stereotyping you- it's still a very closed off mindset over there. Millions of unaware people around the world idolize Japanese culture, despite this.
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