The Dude strikes back!

[Jenny Elwood]

Friday I made a (really early) break for it from work, seeing as I'm yet to get any decent work this year. (My job is project based and no-one seems to want to build anything lately). Transformed at the airport motel (they have a 5 h airport stopover tariff) and headed to the mall. I'd like to think I did a good enough job to pass, not overdressing but going for the "working lady out to lunch" look. The honest truth is anyone that pays me a second glance will be all the wiser. Unfortunately at 2m (6'6"), despite the flat sandals that I wore, you do tend to attract lots of second glances if you are wearing a skirt. And as we all know second glances are our worst enemy... Bygones.

Anyway, as I headed down the corridor, a typically insistent salesman tried to flog me some moisturiser, grabbing my arm and proceeding to demonstrate this "magic stuff" from the Dead Sea of all places. He claimed that the curdling taking place was due to dead cells and I'm quite sure he did not hear one word I spoke as he made his sales pitch. After telling me the price (a very special one according to him) he looked at me expectantly. So I had to burst his bubble: "Nine out of ten days I'm a dude and dudes don't pay R400 (about $40) for a single tube of skincare product". (Well this one at least). Was he stunned silent as I turned and walked away because this was the first time he actually heard my voice? Or because he thought a tranny would be a sure bet for a sale?

[pamela7]

i love your post, not quite sure how to reply. "Nice one."

[Katey888]

Nicely handled Jenny... grabbing ones arm seems a bit 'personal' for a salesperson of any nature - must be a local thing...

But I have to disagree subtly with this:

"Nine out of ten days I'm a dude and dudes don't pay R400 (about $40) for a single tube of skincare product"

because I know I have when wifey's shopping... Trying to get her to avoid the bloody Clinique counter at Debenhams was like herding cats...

Katey x

[junetv]

that stuff is a scam - I bought some on amazon for $8 US. Reading some reviews, it seems that rubber cement does the same thing.

[mykell]

would have liked to see you handle him as a 6'6" dude, they are in the malls here, women and men, very aggressive to say the least, iv never stopped or gave them the pleasure as if a product needs that much of a hard sell then its obviously not worth the time or money, if it were they would have a starbucks type line, come to think of it i wouldnt wait on that line either....

must of been hard for him to here the truth....

[Nikkilovesdresses]

Yay Jenny!! I'd love to have seen the fook on his lace.

[Sarah Doepner]

Jenny, it's a good reminder for those of us who get out that many times we encounter someone we will never see again and they might present us with a teachable moment. You did that and it looks good to me.

[Julie Denier]

Great story - love it!

[Beverley Sims]

Some people just don't listen until given the shock treatment.

Even then they will come back......

With an even better offer.

[AngelaYVR]

Those Dead Sea trolls are very persistent but I don't blame them, the profit margins are enormous!
As for height, I'm 6' even plus whatever heel height I have that day and there is no hiding (ergo just smile and soldier on!) I can't imagine adding another 6", good for you for not letting it stop you.

Angela

[charlenesomeone]

Nicely done Jenn. Who knows what he thought but I bet he was on this next viticm right away. What a cad to
grab someone.

[Kate Simmons]

Well Dude, that's one way to do it.

[Danitgirl1]

Amazing that those sales people the. World over are the same.
Way too pushy in my opinion.
Well done Jenny!

[Donnagirl]

Love it Jen, pushy little buggers need a verbal slapping down every now and then.
Good to see you're getting out regularly!

[Taylor Ray]

I may be a dissenting voice on this thread, but I purchased some of the exfoliating body scrub and....that stuff removes a ton of dead skin from all over my body. I never really thought about skin care much when I was young and crazy. Now that I am 40, I am wondering if I need to start adopting some "beauty habits". One of my asian GG friends spends about $400 every two months for all kinds of products. They can't all be a scam......can they?

[AngelaYVR]

They are not technically scams, they will work, but you can generally get the same results for a lot less. Case in point: "exfoliation". This one word is probably the biggest source of cosmetic profits at the moment and the same results can be had from a $5 facecloth that lasts for years.

[Rachael Leigh]

Pretty funny story, I for one who's only ventured out a few times have never really interacted with anyone and have always been afraid to wondering how they would react, maybe someday

[phylis anne]

I had the same here at a ocal mall as well ,but this was a young and attractive lady ,now I dress blended so she did not notice right away however she did when she had me take off my flannel , she was very sweet gave a long talk on the dead sea etc remarked that she liked my top and I was on my way , however with my temperment if a dude had done to me what he had to Jenny well ------ it could have got real interesting ,so glad it was a nice girl instead.
hugs phylis anne

[kimdl93]

Perfect timing.

[Andy66]

Haha, great story. Grabbing someone is going too far, and he was asking for trouble.

[MissTee]

I hate those center court mall vendors. They remind me of the Moonie folks that use to stalk people in the airports back in the 70's. What they may be selling would not be of interest to me, either, but he should not have been that assertive.

As for spending $40 on one product, I use several Skin Medica products that will set me back that and then some. And I do it in dude mode, too.

[donnalee]

Grabbing your arm is simple assault here and you would have been within your rights to defend yourself. It's amazing how discouraging a spike heel to the instep can be (Oh, that's right, you were wearing flats - better luck next time!).

[SheriM]

I've had the dead sea salt applied to my hands as well. But it was by a very attractive young lady. I enjoyed it but like you, did not purchase. I will say however, that after each NO, the price was reduced. I don't remember how low she went but I think it was probably about 1/3 of the original or possibly even less. So nest time wait for the female SA to work on your hands and nails.

[Jorja]

Hey, why are you criticizing my beauty products? I will have you know I brought them with me when I buried the Dead Sea scrolls. Just because they have all these chemicals and creams now days, that is all there was back then and it worked just fine! Pffft! Modern day girls!!!

[Tracii G]

Well done.