Don't be discouraged if they say no.

We did something new and unusual this weekend.  And I guess when I say "we", I really mean "Peter and Daddy".

This is Peter's 4th year as a Cub Scout so that means this is Peter's 4th year selling popcorn.  And I guess when I say "selling", I really mean "asking Grandma and Grandpa and the aunts and uncles".

This year Peter's pack has upped the ante and the grand prize for the boy who sells the most popcorn is a Traxxus Stampede valued at $225.  When Peter heard this, he decided he really wanted to get out there and sell because he had just decided that he wants a remote control car for his birthday.  And he's smart enough to realize that the one being offered as the prize is way nicer than any remote control car we would buy for him.

So after Sunday lunch at my parent's house, Peter put on his uniform and practiced his spiel and I gave him helpful pointers such as "look them in the eye", "don't mumble" and "don't be discouraged if they say no". And then he and Dan headed out the door with clipboard in tow.

The first stop was my parent's house (they happen to live right next door) and of course they bought popcorn My brother was there so lucky Uncle Brad got to buy some as well.  Peter was on a roll!

Then he started going through the neighborhood and reality set in.  The first three houses he went to declined to make a purchase.  But Peter persevered and the next three bought something. (Never mind that one of the houses was his best friend's house - it was still a yes!)  Throw in three houses with  no one home and that made his non-family sales average 33%. 

And all of that took over an hour - apparently going door-to-door selling popcorn is slow and tedious work.  Maybe his spiel is too long. Regardless, I'm proud of him for deciding he wants something and getting off his adorable yet usually-lazy rear-end to work for it. 

Unfortunately though, he's got to sell a lot more popcorn to earn that remote control car.  The top seller last year sold well over $1000 in product and Peter is no where near that.  And in my estimation, there aren't enough houses in the neighborhood to even support those numbers!

Um, anyone want to buy some popcorn?  I know a cute 9-year-old that will look you in the eye when he's giving you his spiel.

He won't mumble either.