No one really enjoys seeing the green peace or Save the Whales people on the sidewalk. It's not fun to get stopped by them, but it's their job and unfortunately their job entails a fair amount of pestering. I learned from my mom how to deal with them in the most polite way possible. If I have time to talk to them and they remain polite and amiable then I will give them my attention. The same rule applies with telemarketers and my mother's politeness has been tested at great lengths by these impatient sharks. Having worked as a telemarketer for a short time, my mom can empathize with these short-pitch salespeople.
Today I was walking through Lincoln Square and an agent from the Nature Conservancy talked to me. I'd never heard of this group, but their name was rather explanatory.
"Can I talk to you about saving the environment?" said the very cold, very cheery representative.
I had time, I'm just walking around on a Saturday, which makes me realize how much thought these people put into when and where they pitch to the public, so I am further inclined to listen to this person's spiel. I almost never give to these organizations because I don't have money to throw at these problems, but, following my mother's example, I listen to them.
"I appreciate what you guys do, but I just can't contribute right now, but you're definitely a cause I support and I'll help when I can; I'm sorry." Every time I say this I genuinely feel bad that I can't contribute, but at least I listened.
I went into a book store and got a couple books I was looking for. The old man that runs the cozy little place is beginning to show his age. In what may be a morbid thought, I imagine him dying in the store after an avalanche of books cover him. If he has to die, I hope he can become one with his store and his books.
Walking back the way I came, on the other side of the street now, I see another agent for the Nature Conservancy. I don't want to tell him that I already denied someone else, but I would have if he talked to me. Preparing myself for another round of charity guilt, I see a man angrily, busily, waving off the Nature Conservancy.
"No, no, join the marines." The man said as he scowled away. I was thoroughly confused. Join the marines? The agent of the Conservancy looked just as confused as me as he slowly turned to the man whose shoulders were hunched over with years of marine advocacy.
I doubt I will ever understand the man's logic behind his suggestion to the agent. "No I don't give a damn about the environment and neither should you. I'll tell you what you should care about: the marines. Enroll now!" I may have been witness to a sort of turf war between pitchmen.
This man must have been thinking at that moment that the marines had a serious problem in volunteers. He would have ordered the next big man he saw to do the same. The conservancy guy was a big man and the marine man was frustrated that the world was allowing such natural fighting talent to go to waste. Perhaps this thinking prompted his anger.
What confused me the most was that this was not a suggestion that solved the problem that the conservancy wanted to combat. He didn't say "No, no, go plant a tree." or "Go recycle something." or any variation of a backhanded "What are you REALLY helping?"
The world is just too angry right now. Too ready to snap, we never listen. I guess that's why the Marines might be an answer; they have missions and they exist in a structured environment where anger can help. I don't look down on the Marines, but this anger at the surface, anger at the world, must stop. The Marines can coexist with the Nature Conservancy.
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