Letters to the Editor
susan sunflower
Published Letters: 1374 Editor's Choice: 29
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sounds like gypsies (travellers) to me ... classic ...
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here](there's no indication imho she called and made an appointment for this visit)
Gypsies often assert that they are doing work in the neighborhood, have materials left over and will give you a deal ...
Certainly between computers, Kinkos, etc. it's not big deal to forge magnetic car door signs with logo, even laminated identification badges, add a clipboard and a measuring tape -- voila! Business cards can be run off on any computer printer ...
I'm doubtful this woman even had the presence of mind (or self-preservation) to ask for identification.
I doubt this woman has the moxie to even call the police or better business bureau ... like most con victims, once they realize they've been played, they're too "ashamed" to tell anyone and help the next pigeon.
While sometimes gypsies actually to the work (substandard in all ways) ... sometimes they just do the demolision and move on ... it's their way of saying "screw you" to straight society ... and when the homeowner calls to find out when they'll be back ... well, no one answers the disposible cell phone....
oh, and the reason he was so garrolous and inappropriate is likely that he couldn't believe a "looker" like her would let some stranger into her home ... and he wanted to see how far he could get ... it's a turn on for some guys to just keep pushing it ...
there's no such thing as a free lunch ... and if it looks to good to be true it probably isn't ...
oh, and there's a (greedy) sucker born every minute.
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well, fwiw, I think the "karma" of accepting $14,000 for being discomforted for a couple of hours ...
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]in a situation you now claim was not scary and that you could have handled differently is pretty dubious ...
Accept the apology, ask the company to donate the money to Habitat for Humanity and get on with your life ...
yes, your question was why NOT ask for more .... because it's greedy, ugly, exploitative, violates good faitn and most folks sense of "justice"...
have a nice life
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my guess is that this "generous offer" is being made because of the business with the $50 bill ....
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]irrc, Sears, specifically, was caught with bad business practices in several states a few years ago ... all sorts of shenanigans wrt intimidation of homeowners, approving "financing" that should not have been approved etc. It's possible this "generous offer" is hush money which, in and of itself, I believe is illegal ... you owe it to yourself and your community to make sure the Better Business Bureau and/or bunco squad knows about this "subcontractor" or whatever the hell he is. The little old lady living in the next block will thank you.
Fwiw, you also should prepare yourself for whatever taxes this "gift makes you liable for ...
Again, I think this "gift" smells to high heaven ... a free dishwasher or even materials "at cost" would be quite generous (labor being the most expensive part of most jobs and much more difficult to give away "free") -- but "for your troubles," a free dinner at Outback Steakhouse seems to me to be infinitely more "proportionate."
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I just wanted to clarify ... I don't think it's illegal to ACCEPT hush money ... but
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think it's illegal to offer hush money to cover up a crime (obstruct justice) ...
Accepting hush money is between you and whatever god or morality you respect ....
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oh, I don't think they'd risk having a "nondisclosure" clause ... but their eagerness to make this small complaint go away is hinky.
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm rather certain they WOULD NOT want such a suspicious looking clause on file ... particularly in the absence of a civil suit ... actual or threatened ....
It may have to do with the individual involved (there may have been other worse complaints and/or their "vetting" process has problems) ...
$14,000 is not a drop in the bucket ... and the fact LW says she doesn't have to sign anything ... sounds like under the table hush money, gentleman's agreement.
There is NOTHING to stop her from contacting the bunco squad and/or better business bureau ... or to stop her from accepting this offer ...
I consider LW an "unreliable narrator" and I'm not surprised the "severity" of the incident is now downplayed ... it makes it easier for her to accept this "generous gift"
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irrc, what the national company I think was Sears was complicit in was ...
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]a scheme by which they were selling, irrc, siding ... and they helped homeowners who should not have qualified for loans get those loans to pay for it.
Those loans were quickly sold to collection agencies who eventually put liens on the homes ....
Sears did the work as contracted ... but there was pressure put on the homeowners -- who were elderly and poor -- to sign on the dotted line ... as LW did.
Many signers might well not know about a 3 day "cooling off" period or might be too embarrassed to admit they'd been pressured or might actually believe that $50 bullshit story ... or might just be happy to finally getting their kitchen remodeled -- whatever.
That's why I suspect there have been other problems/complaints about "business practices" ... and that this has little to do with a boorish/boring saleman.
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the company is trying to make this look like "no big deal" ... like comp'ing a meal ... a courtesy ...
[Read the article: An elderly salesman terrorized me in front of my kids!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]having a nondisclosure clause would suggest it was something more ...
besides which LetterWriter insists she doesn't have to sign anything at all .... (which in and of itself imho is very fishy)
Remember how that nice chemical company in Erin Brockovich bought some folks houses for a lot of money (before the shit hit the fan) to get those folks in those particularly contaminated, worthless properties "settled" and "gone" before there was even talk of a lawsuit?
I don't think at $14,000 "Miscellaneous" comp kitchen would pass muster ... but then what do I know?
fwiw -- I do know that the "Home improvement" industry is facing very very hard times with all the properties that are not changing hands, folks having trouble meeting the mortgages and with falling assessments (money spent remodeling is not going show a return on investment -- ever)
I'm not sure what this salesman's visit was actually to accomplish, but it sounds like he had some sort of contract drawn up ... what does that tell us?