Signature

The unfortunate proliferation of those pushy 20-something-years-old "activists" that stop people on the streets to get a signature (or maybe money) for whatever cause they're into is the biggest nuisance of the summer.

"Miss, do you have a minute for the environment? Just a minute? A few seconds??" they ask, clip boards in hands. I never stop to chat. I don't want to. I have places to be, people to see. It's not that I don't care about the environment. I do. I just don't feel like talking to these kids, they're obnoxious. But of course I feel a tiny bit guilty when I walk on, ignoring the environment.

Sometimes I reply with a firm "no" as I walk by, just to get them off my back. That makes me feel even worse. Picture this:

"Miss, do you care about missing children?"
"NO!"
or
"Miss, do you support gay rights?"
"NO!"
or
"Miss, do you want to help animals?"
"NO!"

They're slick too. They have one activist facing one way and another activist facing the other way - this way they have you completely ambushed on the sidewalk, whether you're heading uptown or downtown. Here comes the smile, the waving of the clip board and the beginning of the spiel - "Hey Miss!"

I want them to leave.