EXTRA! EXTRA!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
So, there are these people out pushing "newspapers" at the metro. They're middle school/high school age kids. They're obviously employed by the newspaper. No surprise there. They're obviously encouraged by the paper to PUSH these papers. But here's their line when you come near them ... most of the time it's all of them (most of the time grouped in 2's, 3's and 4's...) so it sounds like "heywoujaheywouldpaperlikeatencentpaperonlytencents?" I'm all for people getting jobs. I'm all for young people having jobs. But WHERE have we progressed to.. or more correctly said, "Where have we recessed to?" I YEARN for the days when you had the paperboys on the streets who actually lured you into buying their papers. You know, you've seen them in movies and cartoons. "EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!! Muggers mugged! Crooks caught! CEO's Clobbered." They had alliteration, imagination and they actually said things that one MIGHT want to listen to. Right now, we have kids with nothing more than diariah of the mouth trying to get allthewordsoutintheleastamountoftimepossible. Enunciate. PLEASE. There are enough people in the world that I can't understand. Surprise, you might get me to spend ten cents on your paper if a) I understand what you're saying and b) find it interesting and aluring. I have no problems reading an unintersting paper, even for 10 cents. I take a FREE "Express" each morning from my VERY friendly newsguy "Fred". Fred and I haven't talked politics, religion or thermonuclear physics, but, Fred each morning wishes me well on my day and on Friday a good weekend. I often meander off topic and ask how his weekend was or if it'll be raining by lunch. Granted, we're caught up in this word of Xeroxed chain stores where people want the "familiar" and to be able to find the same product on the sheves of the Rockville Target as the shelves of the Target in Fairbanks Alaska. Granted, that's a great convienence. But here's the thing, we're rolling this out to EVERYTHING. At some point people want and yearn for personality and creativity. That's what makes us human. Our "different"-ness. On the other side of things, how about you identify yourself other than just a colored piece of paper on a string around your neck. Pretty unprofessional. You're not a "neighborhood newspaper". We're the number 7 media market in America. How about some effort here. Maybe a bib? Maybe a nice t-shirt or even (gasp!) a polo with a nice pair of slacks. It's pretty lame to have the bleeched top jeans and untucked t-shirts layered, etc. You've got to take your job seriously if you want me to take you seriously. I used to put my paper in the recycling bin at the exit from the Metro. Now I have to carry it with me to warn off the buzzing and "heydoyouwantapaperonlytencents". I'll carry the Express to prove to them that I read the paper but wish to not be bothered with their annoying buzzing. Is it bad that I pray for rain so these people leave me alone? I feel as though it would be a waste of my time, effort and would dampen my spirit if I would stop and tell them my opinions. Someday.
