what not to do - long post ooopppsss

[madchives]

got home after shopping trip, and took my miss lilly kitty for blood work, has an over active thyroid.
(the best cat in the world, and quite old now, stresses the heck out of me taking her to the vet, she seems fine about it)

i was pooped out, before i got a cup of tea, heard little knocks on the door- 3 really tall young black guys
one of whom said enough to make me think they were from enbridge (gas company) and they needed to check hot
water heater - would take 2 minutes and then they would be off to the neighbours.
(suggested i give them a beer as they walked by a case of labatts,)

showed them downstairs, (warned them about closing door as i didn't want any cats downstairs)
around about here my brain clicked in, a little.

i am alone here, let in 3 people i don't know, and for what exactly? was hopeful,,,
they wanted me to come downstairs, and told me that a furnace pipe wasn't safe as per some 2010
info, could be leaking gas and they would replace it for free.
(in the few talking times with me they had asked the cats names, my name etc, and were quite friendly and darn handsome,,)\
when i asked about replacing the pipe, the pitch changed to we need a new furnace,

i mentioned that we had had some furnace guy in a while ago, and there was no talk about a problem, the response:
'of course not, it was a furnace service person' ?
(ding ding ding)

since my brain was still needing caffeine, (only works with water, tea, beer or oj)
i answered questions sort of, they wanted to see enbridge info, who owned the house, how to get in contact with them?
was very evasive with the answers. finally i asked just who do you work for?
knew i should have written it down, but i think he said canadian consumer, through enbridge gas.

told them again that no new furnace will be installed in this house, as it is going to be torn down, so ,,,,
extra fun on the way out the door one of them mentioned taking a beer with them,, and scared the heck out of me saying
'hey cathy - look out,,,your cat'


so try - i take so long to get to the point, but thought the intro might help - so a couple of bits,
this house is in a very asian populated are - i am white and have lived here off and on for,
50 ish years- when one barely saw anyone not white.
i let those guys into the house because they were black,, i think my subconscious said
'hey you know how everyone discriminates against black guys?'

[madchives]

got to go, hoping what i typed made sense and did not have those ton of extra spaces that
the smart canucks websitw love to waste their money on

[Natalka]

Well, I'm glad nothing happened to you, nor did you fall for their shenanigans.

I've read many times about these scams.

[Patty Smyth]

Yup had them try that with me too. The first time he came he actually lied and said he was a city inspector. Fool me once.........

[walkonby]

there were 2 big tall guys here last week with bright orange hazard safety vests on and holding clipboards, ( I noticed there was someones Enbridge bill on the front....ha ha trying to impress me?? )
I listened to them and their bogus pitch, these guys said " we mailed you a letter to say we were coming " to which I told them they were full of S*H_I*T*E no letter was sent, and furthermore I said NO one comes in this house if I am not expecting you so can leave NOW!
They persisted, continued to talk, my voice got louder and my expressions a scooch more profane.

The 2 dogs began a chorus of barking so they retreated and went over to my neighbours.

DH heard the racket from the bedroom, he hopped out of bed, tossed his coat over his shirtless chest went next door and chased them off her property! Called them scam artists and to get the F off our street! The senior looked distraught to me, I heard her say " how many times do you people try to come around here? " NO!! You are not coming in! "
She was grateful when DH forced them to walk away! But the 2 of them were hurling insults at my DH saying " get a life pal! "

yeah, these are NOT Enbridge people at all, just scammers trying to get you to sign for something they are selling!
@madchives! ! My gosh, you took a huge risk having 3 of them in your house, so glad they left empty handed with no beers either!

[Lynn49]

OMG, Chives!!!!

Could they have been casing your home??!!!
Lordy, Girl, prepare for the next time anyone tries to enter your sanctuary...like Walks suggested, "No one comes in that I wasn't expecting or had invited." Period. Shut the door damn quick.

When I see one of those guys coming up the driveway I mute the tv, and I never even answer the door at ALL. I let Jenny do all the talking out the window and hopefully they'll remember there's a very yappy and viscious () dog living here, and never return.

Thank heavens you're okay...but never again, right?!! You do NOT answer the door! No one is going to hand you a present, your home is fine, you're not going to get anything free by doing a survey, NOTHING. Hon..please don't answer. Please???

[madchives]

thanks for the 'so glad you are ok' comments,

i also find it hard to imagine why i let them in, and it comes down to just 3 thingys.
1 - were from enbridge right?
2 - had had a worrisome miss lilly outing, so brain was not working right (shut up those who
say like it ever does) lilly is the most lovely kitty here, was my mom's kitty and some members
of my family can't understand why lilly is still here.

3 - thought i would seem racist if i didn't let 3 young black guys in.
not trying to start a race talk, but i do think that the 3rd choice was where my
inner self went, as i did not want to seem like i was scared by them.
fortunately only 2 of the above is just related to me.

on the bright side i was not silly enough to give them any real info, and did not
sign up for a new furnace.
should contact the neighbours, to see what they heard or saw, as i do think it was not
just this house they knocked on the door.
surprising how silly some 'companies' think we are, but i still think those guys were
just making sure they read a script and were not real rip off artists.

[MortgageQueen]

Oh Boy. . . you're lucky this time madchives. Please be careful. I wouldn't even let a girl in these days. Maybe I've read too many books or watched too many movies, but that's one of the reasons I've always had a big dog that means business. Weeds so many of those type of folks out. (Little do they know it's the little one that's mean! Lol!!)

[DiamondLil]

thanks for the 'so glad you are ok' comments,

i also find it hard to imagine why i let them in, and it comes down to just 3 thingys.
1 - were from enbridge right?
2 - had had a worrisome miss lilly outing, so brain was not working right (shut up those who
say like it ever does) lilly is the most lovely kitty here, was my mom's kitty and some members
of my family can't understand why lilly is still here.

3 - thought i would seem racist if i didn't let 3 young black guys in.
not trying to start a race talk, but i do think that the 3rd choice was where my
inner self went, as i did not want to seem like i was scared by them.
fortunately only 2 of the above is just related to me.

on the bright side i was not silly enough to give them any real info, and did not
sign up for a new furnace.
should contact the neighbours, to see what they heard or saw, as i do think it was not
just this house they knocked on the door.
surprising how silly some 'companies' think we are, but i still think those guys were
just making sure they read a script and were not real rip off artists.

Its not racist to be alone at home and not allow 3 strangers into your home. It could be a person thats white, green, yellow, black or blue, if I am home alone I wouldnt let one person in, let alone 3!!! I am glad to see you didnt get hurt though, but dont think its politically correct to let someone in because they are of any certain race. Be politically incorrect and stay alive, it alarms me to think what could have happened to you with 3 strange men in your home.

[madchives]

really not trying to extend this thread, unless it helps someone,
dl - if i did not see a lot of not white kids being shot by police here
and in the states my 'logic' about letting those guys in might
be different.
but was pc - you are right and i know shouldn't have been.


still blaming my trying to get back to normal after miss lilly
vet visit etc although i know sounds silly, but is miss lilly.

we got some statement from enbridge - the gas company here
saying we are in some lowest using costumers so congrats.
so not dying from gas, and don't need a new furnace - really

[walkonby]

@madchives ....is miss lilly o.k? You said you still miss her? Hoping the vet was able to treat her.

[madchives]

sorry wob, not sure that i said miss lilly went somewhere,, but
no lucky us she is asleep on her big towel on her big pillow
(terrific kitty my mom adopted so many years ago - shutting
up or this will be a how terrific is miss lilly thread and i will
get sucky)
thanks kiddo