A Mall Hijacking

So, I was at the mall today (which thankfully is a relatively rare event). And as is usually the case when trying to reach a destination in the mall, I put my head down and moved as quickly as I could (with a stroller and a 3 year old) and tried to keep from making eye contact with any of the kiosk workers who might try to sell me something. But, at the end of my necessary errand, while carrying the baby and a shopping bag while still pushing the stroller, my defenses were down and I was caught.

The lady lured Duffy in with promises of giving her princess hair. (Of course, it didn't help that she was still dressed in her leotard and sparkly tutu from ballet.) Fine, sure, why not. So with her fancy curling iron, she gets to work. I'm sure that when she found out I had 3 girls all with lots of hair, she had found her target consumer audience. I nodded through all of her fancy talk about negative ion technology, beautiful, shiny curls, no heat damage, blah, blah blah. I'm bouncing a crying baby, trying to be nice. Meanwhile, Duffy is smiling and admiring her fancy hair in the big pink mirror the lady handed her. She starts telling me how much money I can save on salon visits by doing the hair myself. (Uh...this would only be true if there actually were salon visits. Hello, they are 8 and under. I don't even go to the salon.) Anyway, I tell her thank you and I will have to think about it. So she offers me her 30% employee discount. Then she tries to draw me in by throwing in a $75 bottle of hair serum - for free. (Now at least I'm starting to be slightly interested in her offer.) Then she starts whispering to me about how it's a little more complicated but she can make it look like the last person who bought a whole set, just added mine on as an extra - for a great 2 for 1 deal. Okay, isn't this getting to be just a little dishonest? But mostly I'm just thinking how grateful I am that my livelihood does not depend on me being able to make a sale from a kiosk in the mall. (No offense to anyone whose livelihood does depend on just such a sale - but for me it would be miserable.) In the end, I escaped the hijacking, without making a purchase - relatively unscathed even. (I am considering it - just like I said I would - just not very seriously. I can probably never get back to that great deal again, after all.) I lost a bit of my valuable time, but Duffy did still end up with her beautiful princess hair.

I'll let you know if the curls actually last for 2 whole days even after they've been combed. But the price is going to have to come down a bit before I actually consider buying it.