Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Nothing is Free!

I got a call last week from some dude telling me that had won a free vacation for two to Anaheim California. I rolled my eyes and knew it had to be a telemarketer with a huge catch.
After a few questions I set up an appointment to pick up my "gift".
When you never go on vacations, a free on is always appealing and worth a shot if you have nowhere else to be on a Tuesday night.
So Mr. and I got in the car an trucked up to South Jordan to gather our "free gift" planning all the way the quickest way to get in and out with what they had promised us, and how to go about a false advertising fit if they tried to keep us from what was promised.
My friends, I know that your Mothers have always told you that nothing is every free, and they are right.
When we pulled up and saw a full parking lot we knew we were in for some sales pitch or another. How could THIS many people win the same "gift" that we were so fortunate to get? Chance had picked us! What were these other losers doing here? Hurry in before someone walks off with our trip for two!
In we go, and Mr.'s eyes lock on the fact that there are snacks. Cookies and soda. Quick! Take them for all they have! Down the cookies, and drink the soda!
We are moved into a theater type room filled with other people who look just as ticked. We are all here for free stuff. We have no desire to see the presentation.
They have super cheesy music blasting loudly over images of old people on vacation. It occurs to me that they have the music super loud so that you can't hear some other couples plan to get out quick and get any new ideas about how to scram.
In walks the cheesy sales people we all knew where coming, and the spiel begins.
BLAH BLAH BLAH.
Then we meet one on one with another sales dude.
More BLAH BLAH BLAH.
More no thank yous from us.
YADAH YADAH.
No thanks.....
By the end of the thing the price had been lowered to 1/5th of the original, financing was available and the once exclusive "today only" offers had been extended indefinitely. It just goes to show that if you play hard ball, you get a way better deal.
None the less, two hours later they had no sale and we had what we suppose is a bonified free vacation!
We are getting two nights and three days at a resort in Anaheim, round trip airfare for two and $40.00 gift certificate to the Olive Garden and Red Lobster. The use times are riddled with black out dates and silly rules but we are going to make is work.
I WILL HAVE MY FREE VACATION!
I want to go to Disneyland! And would only have to pay for a rental car, food and tickets!
So like the title says, nothing is ever free. If you want a vaction, you earn it. In this case you earn it by spending two hours in the depths of sales people hell, repeating the words "No thanks, just pass the free stuff please."
I earned that vacation. And after that, I NEED a vacation. The free cookies did nothing to take the edge off that kind of hell!

1 people had this to say...:

Anonymous said...

Just like her good ole mom! A chip off the ole block!