Unwanted Visitor

Yesterday my husband Ron discovered how easily an unsuspecting person could be robbed, murdered, or raped in their own home. He and I went to a Bat-Mitzvah in Willits and took separate cars because I gave a workshop in self-publishing at the college in the morning and went to synagogue late. Ron arrived home before I did. He came in the front door of the house, plopped his things down in the hallway, and went to the computer to check email. Before he could so much as click the mouse, he discovered that a strange man had followed him into the house! Creepy. He had not been aware that anyone was close enough to follow him in. He had closed the door behind him but left it unlocked, as usual.

A robber? Drug addict? Pathological murderer? None of the above. Fortunately, it was a pathological door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. Ron told the guy to get out. But this guy was persistent. He asked Ron what kind of vacuum cleaner we have. Ron replied “a green one.” Ron was twice as big as the vacuum cleaner salesman, and Ron was mad. He told him again to get out. The vacuum cleaner salesman asked Ron if he would like to see a demonstration of the Kirby. Ron said he would like to see a demonstration of how quickly the guy could make an exit. The salesman gave up and left.

After recounting this bizarre tale, Ron told me he’d like to keep the front door locked from now on. I had only been locking it at night. I resist succumbing to the American bogeyman of fear. But I must admit that if the same thing had happened to me, a strange man following me into my house, I would have been screaming and throwing vases. In retrospect, Ron feels a little bad being so hard on the guy. “He’s probably just a laid off office worker trying to make ends meet by selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door,” Ron speculated. Tough times.

To completely change the subject…. I want to wish the mighty Pete Seeger a terrific 90th birthday today. Lovers of folk music, social justice, and humor from around the world are lucky that Pete has lived a long and productive life! To read more about his birthday celebration concert today and/or to leave him a birthday greeting you can go to this web page.