I was having a hard time getting motivated to go out and sell the paper the day after Christmas. I was tired, hungry, and desperately in need of some coffee, so I decided a trip to Waffle House might help.
The food was tasty: hash browns fully loaded minus the jalapeño peppers, with the gravy on the side, and coffee.
While there, I discovered I needed a few papers for one of my customers, and I was down to my last History Corner book, so I made a run downtown to get supplies.
Shortly after I left the restaurant, I realized I’d left my coffee. Thankfully, when I got back, they replaced it. Yay!
Now with my tummy full and a fresh cup of coffee in hand, I was FINALLY ready to go to work, but what I REALLY wanted to do was take a nap!
As I was setting up to sell the paper, my coffee spilled all over the sidewalk, and in spite of the fact that I hadn’t drank much of it, I suddenly found myself in need of a restroom break. At this point, I could tell it was going to be one of those days!
As I made my way back to my corner AGAIN, there was a panhandler standing in my spot!
I calmly explained that this was my spot to sell The Contributor and I even showed him my badge.
He responded saying, “You don’t own the sidewalk. You just need to go on. I was here first!”
In order to avoid further confrontation I decided to go to the end of my map badge territory and work from there, however, I was stopped by one of my customers who rolled down her window and said, “Ms. Norma, you’re going the wrong way!” I explained about the panhandler, and she asked me to meet her in the parking lot of the strip mall (my usual spot), so I did.
She bought a paper right in front of the panhandler! She went further, asking what else I had in my bag today. “Do you have any more wrapping paper?” I said no, not with me. I’d taken it out since Christmas had passed, but I showed her the bumper stickers and the History Corner book, and she bought those too!
All the while, the panhandler continued to protest loudly, asserting he had every right to be there, that he was there first, and how unfair it was that she’d help me and not him, and that he was just trying to make a living. He even asked, “What’s the difference between what she’s doing and what I’m doing?”
How did she respond? She offered him the paper she’d just bought. She said, “Here, read this and you’ll see the difference!”
When he declined, she encouraged him to go on and leave me alone — and he did!
She told me she’d read my article, “Panhandling Versus Selling The Contributor” online in the current issue came to get the print edition from me.
She said she was hoping I’d be there since my granddaughter was probably out of school for the winter break. How sweet!
I have to admit, I’ve sold papers for more money, I’ve had people buy multiple copies of the paper, I’ve sold tons of bumper stickers and boxes of books, but I’ve NEVER had a sale more satisfying than this one!
Turns out yesterday wasn’t such a bad day after all!