Corner Bugs

Ok, so my motivation came right back after a brisk walk to Banana Republic and back. If you work in downtown, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Every day you see them working the corners. Stop thinking bad stuff. I'm talking about the GreenPeace/ FeedTheChildren/ EnvironmentalProtection/ OtherVeryMuchNeededButNotOnTheStreetsOfSeattle charity volunteers. They are officially annoying. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not against charities or charitable giving. I contribute on a regular basis to a number of them that I find useful and beneficial to causes that I support. I'm not even against the particular charities that I mentioned above that the volunteers work for.

What I am against is having to cross every intersection trying desperately not to look up and make eye contact with that very volunteer! It is uncomfortable. It makes you feel like the meanest person ever. (It's also a hazard, as when you are looking down, you are likely to miss the poles coming at you out of nowhere until you meet with them head first). Their persistence is bordering on harassment. If they do catch your eye, they will bug the money out of you. Literally. You are bound to be talked to, asked your name, told about their charity and asked to sign up for a $50 a month donation. For the rest of your life.

What they don't understand is this: the turnover at their companies is high enough that there is a new one of them on a different corner every day. However, the people passing are still all the same! And even if each person working in Seattle was going to contribute to a given charity, it's very likely that they already have before you even got hired! None of us have money enough to sign up for a monthly $50 deduction for the rest of our lives with every single volunteer that we pass each day on our way to lunch! I'm not trying to be rude. I just want to walk to lunch once without being harassed by the corner bugs!

If you are a corner bug reading this, don't get mad at me and leave nasty comments. Try to get another job. If it happens to be in Seattle, you'll see where I'm coming from. FAST. I promise.