I saw them heading up my driveway, a mother and her daughter, most likely. They didn’t carry chocolate or cookies, they carried paper, pamphlets of some sort. As any rational adult would do in this situation, I hid. Unfortunately, the windows along my escape route had sheer curtains, so my best recourse was hiding behind the door, down low because of the glass near the top.
Not my finest moment.
Then my seven-year-old came along. My frantically waving hand in the “get back!” position followed by the “okay, fine, but get down” position was to no avail. She crouched next to me.
“What are you doing, Mommy?” in full voice.
“Hiding from the people who came to the door.”
“Why are you whispering?” in full voice.
“Because I don’t want them to hear me!”
“Ohhhh….” whispered back. She remained next to me in silence.
Then I heard whispering on the other side of the door. I couldn’t be sure, but I think one of them said, “I hear whispering.”
We maintained our pose until my daughter ventured a peek out the window and informed me they were walking to the next house. We have a “no soliciting” sign on our door, but it seems to do me no good, especially when some interpret it as “no socializing.”
How do you handle strangers knocking on your front door? With grace and poise, or like me?
Motherhood and Martial Arts 
I will shamelessly admit that I’ve hidden a time or two myself.
LikeLike
It’s just the simplest way. Declining politely is sometimes difficult.
LikeLike
I hide too. And if my wife ever gets stranded by a salesman I will call her on the phone as an emergency she has to handle..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice!
LikeLike
Yep. I’m pretty much like you. I don’t like it when my boys are around when the doorbell rings, because as your situation showed, it’s awkward behaving that way in front of them. So then I have to act all extroverted and mature and answer the door. Of course, now that their teenagers, I can send them instead.
I wonder if some people don’t know what the word ‘soliciting’ means. I’m being serious here. Some may not. We need a better sign that makes it clearer.
LikeLike
Somewhere on-line I found a site which listed people’s creative signs. One said if you hit the doorbell a trap door will open beneath you. Another said you’d be electrocuted. And one threatened, “I will open the door naked. And no one wants to see that.” Perhaps I just need to get more creative!
LikeLike
Go for it. But the electrocution one seems a bit harsh. 😉
LikeLike
Not as harsh as the last option! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve given a version of the “Discordian trip” to the Jehova’s Witnesses. That’s where you indicate all the chaos & confusion in the world, and point out that someone must’ve created all that: Eris/Discordia. (It’s an inversion of the argument from design for the existence of Jehova.) After a while, the Witnesses decided THEY didn’t have time for ME. It pretty much guarantees your house will be skipped on subsequent visits!
LikeLike
I’d be totally lost just trying to explain that, but, hey, if it works.
Although hiding is still easier.
LikeLike
Actually, I stopped being polite to these folks a few years ago. I’ll either pretended to be very hard of hearing saying, “Sorry the batteries in my hearing aid died, can you come back in a couple of years?” or I hold a phone to my ear as I open the door and say, “Officer there’s someone at the door, just a minute. Sorry can you come back, I am talking to the police right now.” or I’ll pull my shirt part way out, muss up my hair and when opening the say, “Sorry, I have a guest and am very busy right now, bye.”
A friend of mine was trying to find a doorbell that would bark like a very large dog when some one rang it. but if you’re looking for signs you could try:”
Smile, you’re on camera and I’ll be posting to Facebook later
LikeLike
Oh dear…
LikeLike
I just ignore them.
LikeLike
That’s what I would like to do, but it’s harder when they can see me. Perhaps I should just let them see me, and see how long it takes them to take a hint.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It depends on if we have time enough to hide or not. 🙂
LikeLike
If I were just to change these curtains to opaque my problems would be solved! Assuming I’d keep them closed during prime soliciting time.
LikeLike
And maybe add another sign that says “No Selling” . There’s a funny picture going around now that has the whole list of “no soliciting” “no selling” “no religion” etc…. until the bottom it says “Unless you’re selling thin mints” and a little Girl Scout is there holding her thin mints to sell. 🙂
LikeLike
That’s terrific! 🙂 (Exc. I prefer Samoas, personally.)
LikeLike
Samoas are heaveeeeeeeeen!!!
LikeLike
Don’t I know it, sister!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I practice, I never answer my door for strangers. As my dog is barking violently, they can’t hear me moving around. If it is a lost pizza guy, I will open the door to help direct him, then I scold my dog for barking at someone with a pizza in their hand. On Monday this week, an elderly lady knocked on my door (no papers or clipboard), so I opened it. Turned out her car broke down and she needed to use a bathroom. I felt sorry for her and let her.
LikeLike
Ah, the poor woman. Good thing you make exceptions for the elderly and people with food!
LikeLike
I started laughing when I read this post. It reminded me of when a much younger me picking up one of many unsolicited phone calls and my mum would “act out” (like in charades) what I should or should not say.
Like you, we (my kids and I) still do what you do at home as well…we all go quiet and kids love it as they think it’s a game.
LikeLike
Making a game out of it–that’s a great idea. My kids don’t seem to always get it, and they show themselves in the window. It just makes my obvious hiding that much worse.
LikeLike