The Attack of the Kioskers

After graduating college, it's easy to lose touch with friends, so my friend and I went to Park City to catch up with one another. While we were there, we did the usual: sniffed every scent in the Yankee Candle store, sang along with the musical cards in Hallmark, and bought smoothies...

Oh, and we got attacked by kioskers.

Now, don't get it twisted - I know everyone needs to make a living. But no one equates "making a living" to swindeling others because they're uncomfortable. If you sell scarves, people who are cold will probably buy them. If moisturizer is your product, cracked heels will be headed your way. You don't have to corner every person that accidentally makes eye contact with you. But that's what usually happens, and that's what happened tonight.

We were having a good old time walking past Hollister, trying to smell that oh-so-good cologne scent seeping from the shutters (you know the one...) when I looked toward the center of the hallway. Big mistake, for here comes kiosker #1 with her nail buffer...

"You get nails done?"
My friend and I robotically responded, "No, no thank you."
But she wouldn't quit. "I show you. Nails look like new."
Hating confrontation, I started to flounder with "ums" and "errs", but my friend stood her ground. Firmly, she said "No thank you," and we managed to escape.

I know that occurrence probably sounds all-too familiar to most of you, but that wasn't the end. After seeing our rejection, another kiosker thought she could reel us in, so she stormed up to us with her hair straightener.

"You straighten your hair?" she asked.
Get enough already! I thought. But I simply replied, "Nope...never."
My friend looked at me, knowing full-well of the existence of my straightener at home, but I didn't care. The nerve of this kiosker brought out the worst in me, what else was I to do? The lady kept pressing on, but when we started to break free, she grumbled: "Well, good day!" I knew her farewell was less than amiable, but I didn't care.

We were free.