No, I do not want to buy a rug.
Or a marble table top, or a painting, or a statue. Or an elephant, not wooden, not marble, not gold, not even for good price. No I don’t want to just look. And I don’t believe you care where I’m from or are offended I refused a drink. No I don’t want to see the matching pendant. And no I don’t think I need to worry about the resale value of earrings I may or may not buy. No, no, no, no, no. I really don’t think I’ve said no more than while shopping in India. I always tried to be as nice as I could, but I was getting very tired of it. And of being followed (followed around the stores, nothing scary, don’t worry). I felt guilty, I felt bad, and I found it all very stressful. I am led into a store and the lights slowly start to be turned on, and the air conditioner goes on, and tons of people jump up and start watching my every move. Everything I touch or even pause at for a second they try to sell to me. Or sell me a better version. I can’t leave without seeing every room, every floor.
The marble in India was gorgeous...
But I was good bringing home only photos of it
I shock them when I say that no I don’t even want to see the rugs, don’t even want to see the beauty and art of it, what kind of a horrible person am I. It didn't help that I knew I was being taken to places on purpose by the drivers and tour guide. I get that it is part of the tour, and at first I didn't mind, even if the drivers are getting kickbacks. It was mostly sold as part of learning about India – the special stones, the marble work. And it was interesting. But of course these guys don’t really want to go through their whole spiel just to enlighten me. They think I am made of money and unable to pass up a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy in India. Well they are wrong. Except for the ring I bought on impulse and for way more than I thought I’d spend. And the four pairs of earrings. And the stuff at the market and tea shop, but I don’t count those, I actually wanted to go to those places. Anyway, I was not going to be swayed by guilt and overly aggressive salespeople. NO. NO. Noooo.