I'm a sucker

[David64]

Yesterday, about 5 PM, I got a knock on my front door.

This is how I know you're a stranger by the way. Salesman and strangers come to the front, friends come through the back gate and knock on the back door.

Anyway....I open the door and there's a little boy standing there with big glossy pamphlets in his hand. He's maybe 10 and his parents had been driving him around to hawk whatever he was selling. Turns out, he's selling cookie dough. You know the ones I mean. It's a 2.7 lb tub that makes about 3 dozen cookies and they're $20 - $25 depending on what you order. So, he asks if I want to buy some and I'm thinkin' "Sure, I'll buy a tub to help whatever he's raising money for".

I start looking at the catalogue while he's telling me all the prizes he could win if he sold the most.  He is SO happy to tell me he could get a hover board or roller skates or even a bicycle ! He's not giving me a spiel, he's genuinely happy he could get that stuff and it shows. OK, I don't really know these people but I've seen them around. The kid wasn't wearing the best clothes, I don't mean he was dirty and ragged, just ....you can tell ok ? The car he came in was at least 10 years old and not in the best shape and everything about the kid and car said low income/struggling and I just knew the family couldn't afford those things he was excited about.

When I had made my choice, { White Chocolate Macadamia } he gave me the sign up sheet. You write your name, address and which ones you wanted and how many of the tubs, right ?

It was blank.

I asked him if I was the first house and the little fella got a heart breaking, dejected, sad look and said No, he had been to about 10 other houses and no one wanted any. *sigh* I just couldn't take it. Here he was out doing the best he can and nobody wanted what he was selling, so....

I ordered about $120 of cookie dough.
My Wife was out there with me and after the kid left, she gave that knowing look, a smile and said "Softie".

I know, I know...but I just couldn't stand that look on his face and the sadness in his voice !

Just call me Tootsie Pop 'cause I'm an all day sucker.

[Chiefsmom]

I would have done the same thing and then pointed out my few neighbors that are the same way.

Ya big softie!

[andy06shake]

Yesterday, about 5 PM, I got a knock on my front door.

This is how I know you're a stranger by the way. Salesman and strangers come to the front, friends come through the back gate and knock on the back door.

Anyway....I open the door and there's a little boy standing there with big glossy pamphlets in his hand. He's maybe 10 and his parents had been driving him around to hawk whatever he was selling. Turns out, he's selling cookie dough. You know the ones I mean. It's a 2.7 lb tub that makes about 3 dozen cookies and they're $20 - $25 depending on what you order. So, he asks if I want to buy some and I'm thinkin' "Sure, I'll buy a tub to help whatever he's raising money for".

I start looking at the catalogue while he's telling me all the prizes he could win if he sold the most.  He is SO happy to tell me he could get a hover board or roller skates or even a bicycle ! He's not giving me a spiel, he's genuinely happy he could get that stuff and it shows. OK, I don't really know these people but I've seen them around. The kid wasn't wearing the best clothes, I don't mean he was dirty and ragged, just ....you can tell ok ? The car he came in was at least 10 years old and not in the best shape and everything about the kid and car said low income/struggling and I just knew the family couldn't afford those things he was excited about.

When I had made my choice, { White Chocolate Macadamia } he gave me the sign up sheet. You write your name, address and which ones you wanted and how many of the tubs, right ?

It was blank.

I asked him if I was the first house and the little fella got a heart breaking, dejected, sad look and said No, he had been to about 10 other houses and no one wanted any. *sigh* I just couldn't take it. Here he was out doing the best he can and nobody wanted what he was selling, so....

I ordered about $120 of cookie dough.
My Wife was out there with me and after the kid left, she gave that knowing look, a smile and said "Softie".

I know, I know...but I just couldn't stand that look on his face and the sadness in his voice !

Just call me Tootsie Pop 'cause I'm an all day sucker.

A bit of empathy goes a long way.

You made the wee man's day.

Cap doffed. 

[Tecate]

Awesome! I am the same way, and in retrospect you may have made a difference in the young lad’s life… who knows, but cookies!!

Right?

Tecate

[MichSwampbuck]

I call that tithing or attending angels unaware. Your spirit led you.

How much do you donate to any charity?

I never do until I encounter someone who really needs it and can put it in their hands.

[Maxmars]

It's just my opinion, coming from a sucker from another mother....

Charity isn't something you do.  It's something you discover.

Bless your heart a thousand times over.

I was that child once, hopeful and willing to believe the 'rewards' offered at face value.

That young person was about to learn that platitudes and marketing are often used to lead
you to 'feel' that excitement...  but it is no guarantee of achieving your reward...

[David64]

I call that tithing or attending angels unaware. Your spirit led you.

How much do you donate to any charity?

I never do until I encounter someone who really needs it and can put it in their hands.

I don't donate to any charities or churches. I try to help people not organizations, because money given to them gets eaten up by administration costs, overhead, etc and only about 10 cents on the dollar actually goes to the people who need it.

[sahgwa]

Yesterday, about 5 PM, I got a knock on my front door.

This is how I know you're a stranger by the way. Salesman and strangers come to the front, friends come through the back gate and knock on the back door.

Anyway....I open the door and there's a little boy standing there with big glossy pamphlets in his hand. He's maybe 10 and his parents had been driving him around to hawk whatever he was selling. Turns out, he's selling cookie dough. You know the ones I mean. It's a 2.7 lb tub that makes about 3 dozen cookies and they're $20 - $25 depending on what you order. So, he asks if I want to buy some and I'm thinkin' "Sure, I'll buy a tub to help whatever he's raising money for".

I start looking at the catalogue while he's telling me all the prizes he could win if he sold the most.  He is SO happy to tell me he could get a hover board or roller skates or even a bicycle ! He's not giving me a spiel, he's genuinely happy he could get that stuff and it shows. OK, I don't really know these people but I've seen them around. The kid wasn't wearing the best clothes, I don't mean he was dirty and ragged, just ....you can tell ok ? The car he came in was at least 10 years old and not in the best shape and everything about the kid and car said low income/struggling and I just knew the family couldn't afford those things he was excited about.

When I had made my choice, { White Chocolate Macadamia } he gave me the sign up sheet. You write your name, address and which ones you wanted and how many of the tubs, right ?

It was blank.

I asked him if I was the first house and the little fella got a heart breaking, dejected, sad look and said No, he had been to about 10 other houses and no one wanted any. *sigh* I just couldn't take it. Here he was out doing the best he can and nobody wanted what he was selling, so....

I ordered about $120 of cookie dough.
My Wife was out there with me and after the kid left, she gave that knowing look, a smile and said "Softie".

I know, I know...but I just couldn't stand that look on his face and the sadness in his voice !

Just call me Tootsie Pop 'cause I'm an all day sucker.

Good on you. I would have bought some cuz that stuff is good, and I enjoy helping if I can. But not $120 helping, thats next level. 
That stuff is great to freeze for a long time so it's not like you wasted your money either.  Used to it eat it raw/frozen in school....urp

[BeTheGoddess]

The OP  gave me BEK (Black Eyed Kids) vibes of this nt.

Its not a typical account of BEK, but still  caused me to see a conection.

[UltraBudgie]

Is this not exploiting children, using them in high-pressure cookie grifts?

Do child labour laws not apply in the USA?

You are likely getting corn-syrup laden garbage, much better to make you own cookies. Plus I would not trust an untrained child to properly handle food that must be kept refrigerated. Are safe-handling laws waived for this organization?

Is America so poor that it can't afford to properly fund their school that they must bribe children to do so? Just raise local taxes, for goodness sake.

That said, children are adorable and deserve toys. I have several that I keep in my basement that I have yet to donate to Goodwill. They could come in and take their pick.