Today, he called again.

"Hello there! It's [nice sales guy from car dealership we visited a month and a half ago]!  I just wanted to check up on you and see if you are still considering your choices.  No pressure, just seeing where you are.  What your plans are."

He's so nice.  I mean, really nice– he's a nice salesman, the kind you seldom meet anymore.  I don't have the heart to tell him we've already made our choice; a choice that didn't involve the kind of cars he sells.

A month ago, to be specific, we made our choice.  And still, he calls.  But I don't have the heart, guts, bravery to let him down.  So instead I muse something about having changed our minds and not wanting to buy for the time being.

He quickly mouths something about understanding and of course and definitely and no pressure and we say some courteous goodbyes.  I hang up, feeling very chickenish. 

Rev. Meow just raises her eyebrows and says, "You know he's going to call again, right?"

__________

I don't understand persistence very well.  In the same way I imagine others might have a hard time understanding my compulsive and sick need to look up every piece of doubt-raising information that crosses my path, I have a hard time understanding the unflagging and persevering personality.

I can't understand how people would want to endure a whole day having rejection slapping them in the face over and over — call after call filled with evasions and negatives and "no thanks."  I don't understand the people who run the lotion and nailcare and haircare pagodas at the shopping mall and their desperate eye contact as they attempt to spritz anyone within a ten mile radius with a product that if it truly were so great it wouldn't need such aggressive promoting.

But somehow, I wish I could understand that raw drive and harness it and use it for my own gain.  I wish I didn't really care about all the gentle and not-so-gentle letdowns in my way and sally forth through life believing in my product and believing that the fifty-five nos do not matter as long as I can have one smile and one glorious and meaningful yes.

___________

Maybe we can all tap into our inner telemarketer, but only if we believe in ourselves.