If you are a woman who has shopped at malls over the years you probably know this simple but important rule. Don’t make eye contact.

You know those kiosks in the middle of the mall? The ones with overly aggressive sales people who have samples of lotions and miracle creams in little pouches that they push into your hands and literally follow you down the mall to try to get you to come try their products. I am not a rude person by any means but these folks make me want to be rude. I learned over the years to ignore them and to tell them no thank you to samples or trying any of their miracle products.

My husband is naive in the ways of the world. While we were in Amelia Island we walked the downtown of Fernandina Beach and while we were in search of the bookstore ( I know, right?) Chris spied a storefront that had “Bee” in the name. Thinking they sold honey or bee candles or something related he stepped into the store and drug me in with him even though I was protesting…..

I was right to protest because it was one of “those” stores. The saleslady proceeded to make us sit at her station while she got out a sample of her miracle cream that would reduce puffiness under our eyes and promised all kinds of other wonderful results. After applying it rather haphazardly to under our eyes (at one point she asked me to put it on Chris because her hands were shaking so much from coffee or so she said) she was amazed at the results. Chris and I saw nothing different other than our under eyes feeling like there was a layer of clay or mud on them.

Then came the sales pitch. If you buy this product for $399 we will give you this other product worth $599 for free! What a deal. I looked at Chris and then back at her and said “nope”. Not interested and got up to leave. Of course she wanted to know why and try to entice us a bit more but we were not having it and escaped. I could not wait to wash that stuff off my face.

Poor naive Chris. So unschooled in the ways of the world but now he knows. Boy, does he know. I won’t let him live this one down for awhile, let me tell you that.

Have you ever been trapped by one of these salespersons? It’s uncomfortable, right? But guess what? I now have two samples that I am sure are worth at least $75 each.