The man at the door.

Earlier this evening I was in the kitchen preparing our meal when a knock came on the door.
Standing there in the pitch blackness was a young man - well wrapped up against the cold. He was gesturing and trying to make me understand him. He reached into his pocket to bring a little card out. I guess it was one of those cards explaining he was deaf and dumb.


I don't know what would have happened if I'd taken the card from him - was he begging for money - or trying to sell something?
Anyway I was rather cruel to him I told him I wasn't interested and closed the door leaving him standing there.


I felt a bit bad afterwards but what the heck - if he's profoundly disabled through deafness/dumbness I'm sure he will be getting benefits for his disability and no need to go round begging.


Are these people part of a ring do you think - Is there someone controlling them?

Re: The man at the door.

You have to be so careful who you answer the door to especially in the dark evenings!
Don't feel bad, he shouldn't call at night even if he was genuine.
There's been a speight of bogus meter readers about, one young mum wouldn't let one in and he turned nasty and tried to force his way into her house.
We have a young man who calls for a charity every year but always in the dark, I take the chain off even if I see it's him.

Re: The man at the door.

I always say if something doesn't feel right ... shut the door, even if it appears rude.

You can't be too careful these days and in darkness? In winter?

Re: The man at the door.

I doubt he was genuine, Carol. If he was really deaf and dumb how would he, or the organisation he was supposedly representing, expect him to communicate when asked questions.
I don't tolerate cold callers.

Re: The man at the door.

That sounds worrying, I would not have trusted him at all. You were right to shut the door. Better yet in future, not to open it at all. You can't be too safe.

Re: The man at the door.

I don't open the door without first looking through the window to see who it is, if I don't know them or I'm not expecting anyone I ignore them

Re: The man at the door.

I agree with everyone else Carol,you did the right thing. I probably wouldn't have opened the door in the first place if it was dark.
Anyone could pretend to be deaf/dumb, and for all you know he could have had an accomplice standing nearby, but even if he was genuine, he shouldn't be door knocking after dark.
Glad you're safe.

Re: The man at the door.

Good advice, Honey. In fact I've got one of those little glass spy holes in the front door, and when the security light comes on I can see who is there.

Re: The man at the door.

Get yourself some 'Cold Caller' stickers off Ebay and place them in prominent positions on your doors and windows. If someone still bothers you don't talk to him or her and just cut them off mid speech (or hand gestures in this case) and point to the sticker. Seems rude but it works. I did this to the last lot that dared knock on my door and got rid of them without batting an eyelid or raising my blood pressure.

If they call and it is dark - don't answer the door, or failing that get a chain link installed so you can talk yet be safe.

Cold Caller Stickers Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...llers&_sacat=0

Re: The man at the door.

Old con trick