I've got a few stories from my door to door sales days, including a car crash like yours on the way back to the office where I count my blessings I didn't die. I should have. My seatbelt saved my life.
One of the scariest encounters I had was in one of the worst council estates in England, or so I'm told. It was in Nottingham and the council estate is called The Meadows. They had CCTV on every street corner pretty much, and it was the first time I'd seen anything like it.
Thing is, these places were an absolute haven for selling what I was selling which was Sky TV. Although dangerous, we still did these types of estates. You could go on a white middle class estate and get 2-3 sales a day, but council estates you'd be getting 5 and up.
I'd get funny looks everywhere I was going, some people laughing at me when they opened the door saying I'd never survive around the estate looking like I was (dressed in a suit).
I never had any trouble though, anywhere I went, except for this one door. Even at night, I felt safe on these council estates (except one Halloween) which was quite surprising. This place was rough as hell, too.
Anyway, I knock on this door and I hear a bit of commotion on the other side. I waited for about 10 seconds and knocked again. I heard noise, but assumed they didn't hear me because it seemed nobody was acknowledging I was at the door.
I turn to head off and a second or two later I hear the door burst open. I turn around and this big, fat motherfucker who was easily 6'4 was standing in the doorway holding a butcher's knife.
"What the fuck do you want?! What the fuck are you doing?!"
I was scared as hell and started apologising.
"What the fuck do you want?!"
"Nothing nothing, I'm selling Sky that's all" and I held up my Sky catalogue we used to outline packages and prices to people when we're selling.
The guy chills.
"Oh, Sky? Yeah, we want Sky! Come on in, mum will be well happy".
I was petrified going in but they were actually alright. They joked about the knife thing with me and I still don't know to this day whether it was a serious defence mechanism or they were fucking with me all along. I got the sale anyway and an amusing story out of it.
One of the scariest encounters I had was in one of the worst council estates in England, or so I'm told. It was in Nottingham and the council estate is called The Meadows. They had CCTV on every street corner pretty much, and it was the first time I'd seen anything like it.
Thing is, these places were an absolute haven for selling what I was selling which was Sky TV. Although dangerous, we still did these types of estates. You could go on a white middle class estate and get 2-3 sales a day, but council estates you'd be getting 5 and up.
I'd get funny looks everywhere I was going, some people laughing at me when they opened the door saying I'd never survive around the estate looking like I was (dressed in a suit).
I never had any trouble though, anywhere I went, except for this one door. Even at night, I felt safe on these council estates (except one Halloween) which was quite surprising. This place was rough as hell, too.
Anyway, I knock on this door and I hear a bit of commotion on the other side. I waited for about 10 seconds and knocked again. I heard noise, but assumed they didn't hear me because it seemed nobody was acknowledging I was at the door.
I turn to head off and a second or two later I hear the door burst open. I turn around and this big, fat motherfucker who was easily 6'4 was standing in the doorway holding a butcher's knife.
"What the fuck do you want?! What the fuck are you doing?!"
I was scared as hell and started apologising.
"What the fuck do you want?!"
"Nothing nothing, I'm selling Sky that's all" and I held up my Sky catalogue we used to outline packages and prices to people when we're selling.
The guy chills.
"Oh, Sky? Yeah, we want Sky! Come on in, mum will be well happy".
I was petrified going in but they were actually alright. They joked about the knife thing with me and I still don't know to this day whether it was a serious defence mechanism or they were fucking with me all along. I got the sale anyway and an amusing story out of it.