I can’t say no. I can’t say no to the people asking for charity donations. I can’t say no to the religious offers for spiritual renewal. Believe me … or perhaps, my roommate.
She takes all of the messages from Sister So-And-So when I’m not around. I would probably have less people calling my room had I handed my phone number out to every passerby on the Oval.
Or you could view my financial records. I have a steady income, but nothing to show for one penny. However, I’m sure the children’s shelter is enjoying their new toys.
If I decline a religious offer, I feel like a sinner. If I turn away a beggar for change, I feel inconsiderate and rude. Some say I’m too nice, but is that necessarily a bad thing?
Without a doubt, my roommate would say so. She has tried to explain that rejecting a solicitor or preacher will neither make me a selfish person nor condemn me to hell.
She has lectured me time and time again, attempting to explain the benefits of saying no. By doing so, I could prevent wasting my time, as well as the solicitor’s. Also, I could feed my own appetite more often with those saved dollars. In other words, my roommate wants the phone calls to stop.
Needless to say, my behavior definitely needed to change, so I decided to implement my roommate’s suggestions last week. While making a quick stop at the Union, a magazine solicitor approached me. I tried to explain that I was in a hurry (do they ever stop you when you’re not?), but he insisted that I take two short minutes to listen to his speech.
My roommate’s efforts to impound the word “no” into my head had disintegrated; I agreed. I can’t recall the solicitor’s name because he spoke so quickly. He spat out a mess of disorganized, irrelevant information at the rate of an auctioneer.
Somehow, I managed to decipher his primary goal: To sell magazine subscriptions, earning points with each subscription sold, to travel out of the country. Of course, the subscriptions could only be bought at an outrageous price. I pretended to skim over the magazine titles, while actually devising a way out of the situation. I thought of my roommate’s words of wisdom and told the man, “I already buy the magazines I want,” hoping he would comply and dismiss me from the table.
Instead, he pointed out two particular magazines and persuaded, “If you purchase these, they will be sent to a woman’s or children’s shelter.”
He had to suggest the charity options, didn’t he?
Already in financial trouble, I frankly told the gentleman, “I honestly don’t have the money right now. I’m sorry.”
He looked at me in disgust and compared me to the homeless people on High Street, claiming they even had the money to purchase a subscription. If that was the case, why did he harass students inside the Union? I wondered. He collected his belongings and stammered, “Thanks for wasting my time.”
My stomach dropped. I already felt like I was betraying the children. At a loss for words, I simply apologized again.
To which he responded, “No, I appreciate it when people waste my time,” and he stormed away from the table.
I may never say no again, but at least I made my roommate proud.
Mandy Zatynski is a freshman in journalism. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].
