No, I dont want to - and you cant make me.

I was minding my own business walking purposefully towards the centre of town to do the post and banking when I was stopped by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (what a mouthful - even their name is self-important). Well, I say A member, what I mean is one of two members (they travel in pairs, never alone). He stood right in front of me, making me do an emergency stop and asked if he could talk to me (no, he could not). I was so shocked at his sudden appearance that without thinking I said 'Jesus Christ'! On being told that NO, I did not want to talk to him (or his friend) he wished me a 'nice day'. WHY do people who are annoying you for no good reason always wish you a 'nice day' when you turn them down. It is sanctamonious in the extreme - I was having a perfectly nice day until he appeared.

I cant abide people who want to share their personal beliefs with me. I like playing Mah Jong and Scrabble but I dont pounce on strangers and try to persaude them to do the same. I am English (or British if you write forms which dont regard English as a Nationality - and dont get me started on THAT one), and we English are private people. We like to keep our own council, we are not comfortable around people who express their feelings 24/7. I have many English friends who are churchgoers and not once have they tried to indoctrinate me into their faith.

Of course once they had gone I thought of several more eloquent replies than 'NO'. My favourite is 'Yes, of course you can talk to me, I will make you an appointment and you can talk to me in my office. I only charge £50 per minute. My time is precious and I thoroughly disapprove of people who waste it. Now, when would you like to come and talk to me?"