Kenzie's Products

“No, that’s not what I meant! I know you like going with your friends. I have been telling you for months that I want you to reach out to friends and start doing things you enjoy again. I do not have an issue with you going to the gym with your friend. My issue is that you had made plans with me to have a gym day together, tomorrow, then you went and planned a gym day with him instead. The issue isn’t that you are going to the gym with him. The issue is that you went back on your plans with me. The issue is that now I’m left feeling left out and forgotten.” Kelly said frustrated, sitting across from Mitch at their kitchen island. Mitch stood across from Kelly, lacking words to say, so he chose to stay quiet, knowing Kelly had more on her mind. Kelly zoned out trying to come up with an example from his point of view to hopefully reach an understanding regarding the disagreement. The sunlight was filtering through the dining room bay windows behind Mitch, brightening the natural green walls into what was usually a calming environment. Today the color seemed misplaced as Kelly looked out the window as if searching for an answer out there would help, but the natural green was all she saw out there as well.

As if right on cue, a knock pounded on the front door. A perfect opportunity to table the conversation until they both have had time to think on the situation. The tension between Mitch and Kelly followed them through the dining room to the front room where Mitch opened the door. A door-to-door salesman was standing on the porch.

“Good afternoon! My name is Greg, I’m here with Kenzie's Products. Could I have a minute of your day to talk?” Greg gave his introductory spiel with a deep voice, trickled with a slight southern accent that matched his dark, well-style curly hair that fit his sharp-edged face and broad nose. It was like a voice laced with honey, perfect to catch the attention of customers and make them feel like they’re getting the best deal in the world as he is selling his product.

“No, we’re not interested.” Kelly said as she began closing the front door.

“Well, I’m here selling dirt bikes. You could have one today, nothing down and payments as low as $50.00 a month.” Greg said quickly, knowing that would catch Mitch’s attention, catching his eye. “I have a feeling that’s something that’s right up your ally.”

“Yeah, that absolutely is!” Mitch said, looking over at Kelly as he walked out the front door, now entering the conversation on the porch. Kelly rolled her eyes and walked back to the kitchen, not wanting to be part of the conversation. Kelly wasn’t the social type when she was this frustrated. She needs some time to cool off. Sitting down in the kitchen again and revisiting their prior conversation in her mind, Kelly sat there sipping on her herbal tea and waiting. Five minutes turned into ten, ten turned into 20, and Kelly got curious as to what they could still be talking about. Kelly got up to go see how things were going, to find that Mitch had taken Greg on an outdoor tour of the home explaining the completed projects they had worked hard on since moving in. They seemed to have really hit it off in conversation, which isn’t surprising to Kelly. Mitch is a people person, and she’s sure you’ve got to be a people person to be a door-to-door salesman. As she steps outside the front door to enter the conversation, 3 other individuals climb out of their company van. They must all be coworkers, all selling along the same route and saving company dime by riding together.

“Good afternoon, ma’am. Would it be possible for us to use your restroom? We’ve been in the van for several hours.” Said a salesman with blonde hair. He seemed like a genuine sweetheart, also having that sweet as honey voice with a slight southern accent.

“Sure, Hun. If you follow me, I’ll show you the way.” Kelly said as she held open the screen door and ushered them into her front room. Mitch and Greg were still deep in conversation out in the yard, now pointing to the spigot they had replaced the month prior. “It’s right this way.”

The three individuals followed her down the hallway on the opposite side of the front room from the doorway to the dining room and kitchen area. “It’s this door here.” Kelly said, reaching into the bathroom and flipping the lights on. Smiling politely at the 3 individuals, she walked away to the kitchen area to let them do their business in private. She watched the clock in the dining room tick until it reached 5 minutes past when she left them to the bathroom. She peeked out the doorway to look across the front room and into the hallway. She couldn’t see anything, so she decided to walk closer. As she neared the bathroom, she saw an empty hallway and the bathroom door open with no lights on. They must’ve finished up and went back outside. Kelly walked to the front door again, this time looking for all four salesmen plus her husband. Looking out the front screen door, there was nothing. No van, no Greg, and no Mitch. Something was starting to feel off. She walked quickly to the dining room windows to peek into the back yard. Mitch was in the back yard now next to the van parked in the alley, where they were unloading a dirt bike. Kelley made her way into the garage where she could access the door to the back yard.

“What’s going on?” Kelly asked Mitch as she approached them.

“Well, I told him that I wasn’t going to sign a loan unless I know that it runs first. Greg is going to show me that it runs, then he will bring out the paperwork.” Mitch said

“Wait, you’re buying it?” Kelly said angrily. “Without even talking to me first?”

“I don’t need to ask you for permission to spend my own money, Kelly” Mitch said snapping back at her.

“Don’t you think you should talk to your wife before dipping into the money we use to raise our children. We couldn’t even afford for me to get a book I’ve wanted for months last week and that was 20 dollars. But now we have the free funds to afford this? How much are you going to spend a month on this?” Kelly said with a slightly raised voice, trying to contain her emotions that are beginning to spill over. The lack of consideration for her, her opinion, and her position today has been more angering and hurtful than she was prepared to handle. Who would be prepared to handle this?

“I’m getting it for 75 dollars a month.” Mitch said, walking away from her, now asking Greg for the paperwork to begin the process of buying it.

Kelly walked inside, unsure what to do at this point. She entered the back door of the house and go through the garage into the dining room. Kelly paused. She heard something. Not sure what she was hearing, but knowing it sounded like hushed conversation, she took her shoes off to inspect it quietly. She slowly tip toed across the dining room, through the front room, then down the hallway. She went past the bathroom that still had its light turned off, then on to the next door. She opened the door to her youngest son’s bedroom quietly, just like she does when she checks on him at nap time, to find an empty bedroom. Still hearing hushed conversation, she continues down the hall and puts her ear to the doorway on the left, her bedroom. There it was. She hadn’t seen the other individuals out back when she had that tiff with Mitch moments ago. They apparently had never left the house after their bathroom break. They must’ve just made their way down the hallway and into her bedroom.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kelly demanded as she swung open her bedroom door. The 3 salesmen startled and sat up strait in her bed.

“We-we-we had a hard day. We just wanted a nap.” The blonde salesman stammered, clearly shocked at being interrupted in their escapade to her bedroom.

“Get out of my house. Now.” Kelly demanded, stepping into the bedroom and holding the door open while motioning for them to leave the house with her pointed finger. None of them moved. “Get the fuck out, now!” Kelly yelled.

They all started slowly getting out of her bed, then reaching to the ground they each grabbed a bag. Kelly hadn’t noticed that there was luggage strewn across her bedroom. They definitely made themselves at home in her bedroom. Something was seriously off here.

“Move. Faster.” Kelly said as they meandered out of her bedroom and down the hallway. “Go out the front door and leave my property. Now. Any of you ever touch so much as a piece of grass on my lawn again, I’ll have you arrested for trespassing.” Kelly slammed the door shut behind the last one, locking it securely, and turning to run to Mitch. Something was wrong.

Kelly reached the back door in the garage and yelled “Mitch, stop.”

Mitch didn’t look up from the paperwork. As of right now he has no idea what Kelly just had to do, which means neither does Greg. What if he retaliates against Mitch? What is the best way to handle this? Kelly decides to handle it gently. She walks hurriedly to Mitch and grabs his hand to get his attention.

“Mitch if you’re going to do this can we at least go over the terms and conditions first? I’d like a chance to read them. You've got to know what warranty and such they offer and what it covers.” Kelly said nicely with a smile, despite feeling the exact opposite.

“Yeah, I suppose, but make it fast. I’m ready to ride my new dirt bike. I want to pick the kids up from school in it.” Mitch said annoyed and impatient.

Kelly grabbed the papers out of Mitch’s hand seeing that he had already signed one page. “I’ve got to go grab my glasses, I’ll be right back.” Kelly said, noticing that Greg shifted uncomfortable on his feet now that she’s walking away to go read the papers inside. Once she stepped inside, she started reading through everything. Every little term and condition. It took several minutes for her to read through it, but she found it. Exactly what she was suspecting. With Mitch’s signature, Greg and his crew would have their house. Now it’s all making sense. Why Greg was so interested in the condition of the home. Why the crew welcomed themselves into her bedroom and acted as if they were expecting to get to be there long term. And Mitch is the perfect target. Someone more focused on having a dirt bike than reading the fine print. Now what should she do? Kelly sat there stunned at the scam she just uncovered, then realized maybe she just needs police presence. She doesn’t know if what Greg and his crew is doing is illegal, but without all of Mitch’s signatures the property is still hers. She can have the police remove them. Mitch is going to be so mad, but she’s got to do something. They can’t lose their house.

Kelly called the emergency number and explained everything, the operator said they are about 2 minutes out. Kelly took a shaky breath and steadied herself to go approach Greg and Mitch.

“I have a couple questions, Greg.” Kelly called out as she walked out the back door, approaching the pair of them. “I noticed a couple clauses that don’t make sense.”

“Sure, which ones were you looking at?” Greg said with a sweet smile but eyes that now darkened with evil intent.

“Term 36, section a, b, c, and d.” Kelly said forcing her voice not to shake and to maintain eye contact with Greg. Holding his eye contact she handed the packet, already turned to the term, to Mitch to show him what she was talking about. Mitch took a few seconds to read the term, then spoke.

“Yeah, Greg. Care to explain why the title of my house would be transferred to you with the purchase of a dirt bike?” Mitch said, now angry. Thankfully the sirens of the police coming down the street were now drowning out any further conversation between the three of them. Still unsure where the other 3 individuals went, Kelly approached the police with the loan packet in hand, ready to stop these individuals from doing this to anyone else in the future.

“Well, that went sideways.” Kelly said quietly, sitting in the kitchen that evening in the same spot they were that morning. Unlike this morning Kelly was feeling the calming effects of her natural green dining room. Kelly and Mitch sat quietly thinking about the events of the day. Kelly knew now that despite the anger and hurt she felt twice today, when it came to a real-life threatening issue, they would work together to protect the family. It was Kelly and Mitch against the issue. That alone is noteworthy. Yes, it is still valid to be upset about the way she was treated, but for today they worked together. That is enough. For now. Tomorrow brings the chance for a better day and opportunities for change.