Solicitors be gone!

Every American can't stand being hassled by solicitors outside their grocery store or drug store. Sign this to support gay marriage (which I do)! Sign this petition to get this meaningless proposition on the ballot. Or, lately, try out our fledgling salon at a discounted rate--you'll love us! I, like the rest of the world, can't stand being hounded each time I exit, in this case, my local Trader Joe's bogged down with loads of groceries and rushing to get my frozen items home before they melt. But, more than anything, as a hearing impaired person, the auditory stimulation is something I could really do without. I often have no idea who they are speaking to. Is it to me, or the person who left the store right before me. Some, I wouldn't be surprised, could even be talking to themselves.

Then there are those who are a little frustrated by their plight so they talk really softly. What are you saying? If you don't believe in what you are saying, spare me the additional noise.

On the flip side, there are those who practically yell at you with some stupid line they have created to grab your attention. My favorite was just yesterday: "Hey pretty little lady, do you like the environment?" Any time new words or sounds come at me without any context, I have to spend quite a bit of time processing what it is that I am hearing. At first, I was certain I was being picked up by a hobo outside of Ralph's. After some internal processing, I realized what it was he was trying to pitch to me. I told him, "Sorry, these groceries are really heavy." His friend then yells after me, "I'll help you carry them". Seriously?

Then there are other solicitors who simply go "Excuse me Ma'am" usually after I have walked past them and have my back toward them. Of course, that complicates matters... I have trouble hearing anything let alone anything from a source behind me. I have two issues with "Excuse me, Ma'am"... first, I am 27 years old, I am still a Miss (though I am happily married) until I am at least 40. Ma'am is someone with kids and wrinkles forming under her eyes. Once I get over the shock of the Ma'am, I have to check around me, is Ma'am directed at me or the 5 other ladies walking to and from the store? I'm always very disappointed when it's revealed that the "Ma'am" was really directed at me.

I know it would just be better to simply ignore all these sounds and go about my routine. But, it's hard to do that. I am constantly trying to process all the sounds around me. I guess you could say I'm on "high alert" most of the time, particularly in dynamic situations. So, when I heighten my awareness of everything to make sure I'm safe and comprehending important information, the solicitor's voice is always going to show up on my radar. Fortunately, I am becoming more aware of what these people might look like and have come up with my customary excuses. I tend to blurt them out before they have a chance to befuddle my mind with their pitches. But, I have to say, I really get frustrated when these people assume that everyone hears the same way. I am not nearly as hearing impaired as millions of other people are in this world. How frustrating must these same situations be for them?