Don't try to sell me anything.

I have been 'duped' before. As a result I am a harsh, hard, calloused, skeptic. I don't buy anything that someone tries to sell me. And if a salesperson suggests something I am less likely to buy it than I would have been had they not.

I just had an experience in which a gentleman stopped me in the hall and asked me questions like "Hey, you look like a smart student! are you an intelligent guy?" and he asked me if I went to school here (UVU) and some other things. I was polite and answered, and then he started showing me some kindof Indian book and started talking about how it was the original text and whatever. I realised that he was proselyting in some way.
I experienced several different emotions at that time. First, I felt excited. I don't think I've ever been proselyted to. Maybe as an LDS missionary. But just as a normal person, not ever. So that was fun and I wanted to enjoy it.
Second, I must've had a flashback of the mission, because I felt a responsibility to help him by sharing my own testimony and proselyting to him.
Third, I felt bothered, because he opened our conversation with questions - like a salesman (I should write a posting about the door to door sales industry). So I decided just to leave.
I told him thank you and handed back his book and left. Mostly because I hate being sold to. If someone needs to use tricky language - or isn't strait forward in some way, it turns me off. I am an honest person. And I believe in open communication. I don't mind hearing a sales pitch, or giving people a moment of my time. But I HATE it when people try to 'rope me in' to a converstion...
Anyway... I wish now that I had slowed down to talk to this gentleman. Mostly becasue I am curious about his book and I would've liked to share my thoughts with him.
On the other hand, maybe he really was selling something and didn't want to have a conversation, or maybe he didn't want to hear my side, or maybe it's just a good thing I didn't waste my time when I don't need to hear from someone who doesn't respect me as a person enough to introduce himself when he approaches. (hence, 'a gentleman')

Another thing, I've been working towards goals, financial and otherwise. And I find that there are a lot of things that I didn't know I needed, or wanted until I heard about them. My life is a lot easier when I don't worry about persuing things that I didn't know about, just a moment ago. That's why I leave Target with exactly what I went in to buy.