Earning a living is a struggle these days with inflation chasing us down like waters from a burst bund. Setting up counters at shopping malls, approaching passersby to purchase our products is a bad slap to our confidence if we failed in each try.
Previously they were comfortably seated, waiting for potential customers to check out their stalls during their recruitment drives. Now they are parked outside the check-out counters of hypermarkets. They are the credit card promoters.
I am afraid of them. Not that they will physically abuse me but I prefer to be undisturbed wherever I be. Usually I will walk straight ahead or divert my gaze somewhere else or pretend to be busy with my purchases. Smiling and acknowledging their presence with a nod of my head will make me their next target. I know it is rude to ignore them but I really am uninterested in their sales talk.
The more persistent and aggressive ones will block my path and insist I spare them a few minutes. Once I stop they cling like grape vine.
When cornered, my rehearsed reply is ‘my salary does not qualify me to own a credit card’. If they spotted me using one, ‘it is a supplementary card’.
Then they looked me over, their eyes traveled from my home-washed hair down to my sneakers and back to my unimpressive face. Then they retreated and I released a bellow of air from my congested chest. These repellent lines are like Monsanto Roundup. Very effective. Even pigeons keep away.
It is no big deal owning a credit card. Some of us have a string of them. Banks are spoiling us crazy by topping up our credit line. In the end we are their slaves for life.
Previously they were comfortably seated, waiting for potential customers to check out their stalls during their recruitment drives. Now they are parked outside the check-out counters of hypermarkets. They are the credit card promoters.
I am afraid of them. Not that they will physically abuse me but I prefer to be undisturbed wherever I be. Usually I will walk straight ahead or divert my gaze somewhere else or pretend to be busy with my purchases. Smiling and acknowledging their presence with a nod of my head will make me their next target. I know it is rude to ignore them but I really am uninterested in their sales talk.
The more persistent and aggressive ones will block my path and insist I spare them a few minutes. Once I stop they cling like grape vine.
When cornered, my rehearsed reply is ‘my salary does not qualify me to own a credit card’. If they spotted me using one, ‘it is a supplementary card’.
Then they looked me over, their eyes traveled from my home-washed hair down to my sneakers and back to my unimpressive face. Then they retreated and I released a bellow of air from my congested chest. These repellent lines are like Monsanto Roundup. Very effective. Even pigeons keep away.
It is no big deal owning a credit card. Some of us have a string of them. Banks are spoiling us crazy by topping up our credit line. In the end we are their slaves for life.
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