The "WRONG" Way To Say "NO"

I know some individuals who have a very difficult time saying that tiny, yet somewhat intimidating word, "No". Maybe it depends upon to whom one is saying the negative answer. Examples: (you knew that was coming, didn't you?)
- I don't think it is so very difficult to say no to a telemarketer asking if I'm in need of a new set of truck tires, or to a TV survey asking for just 20 minutes of my time to answer a mere 135 questions regarding which geological dig on the Discovering Ancient Bones show most intrigued me. It may be easy to respond in the negative because we are not face to face with the person; we don't personally KNOW the caller; and we are not interested in the subject matter.

It gets a little dicey when the person asking a favor is a good friend or somewhat good relative. How do we turn down requests for either our time, money, or energy that we either truly cannot accomodate or just don't want to?

I've spent over 20,380 days on this earth wrestling with this dilema. As a self-proclaimed super salesperson, I have heard (and ignored) the word NO more times than Shirley Maclaine has gone into reincarnation trances. I was trained that the person (sales target) is NOT saying NO to ME, personally, but to the product I am attempting to gently stuff down their esophagus. Somehow the bite of the word still can cause deep, albeit, imaginary bruises.

The best way that I have heard to say no, yet still maintain a good relationship is to act like all of a sudden, you remembered your southern heritage and start to drawl like Ms. Georgia answering a question with the glazed over smiling expression at the Ms. America Pageant. "Why, I just don't believe that I want to have any more fighting continue in little ole I-Rock anymore."

In college I knew a student who hailed from the south and I felt like she had given me a compliment one day when she said with a big grin, "Why, Peggy..why don't you just run along to he_ _ now, ok?"

So, here are MY three Money-back GUARANTEED SUCCESSFUL HINTS to blowing off the requestor:
1) Be honest 2) Smile when giving the bad news and 3) Act like a southern Ms. America (or Mr. Universe) contestant.

Oh, crud...someone just rang my doorbell selling lightbulbs for the benefit of dim-wits everywhere. I tried my three fool-proof methods but I had not anticipated that the 18 year old standing at the door shivering in a tattered light jacket while working in an ice storm, would start to cry.

I now have 13 cases of 10 watt bulbs in my living room.

It wasn't just the tears that he shed...oh, no...but this sentence that my young salesman laid on me was the kicker ~ "Ma'm (in a FARTHER southern drawl than mine) Yes only has one more letter than No"...He continued..."if you could just find it in your heart..."

I'm such a soft touch that all door to door salesmen have me marked on their map with a big star.