Hustle: pressure or urge someone into an action ; twist somebody’s arm; manipulate so as to persuade someone to adopt a certain position, belief or action.
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Bob and Rita boarded a painted quarter horse with us a few summers ago. In their mid 60′s, Rita was 3 inches taller than Bob, wiry, sharp featured, intense. Bob on the other hand was kind of roly-poly, wire rimmed glasses, very laid back, an interesting pair. They would come out on the weekends to work with their horse.
Can’t say we had much in common (I hate horses/ had a run in with a Shetland pony when I was a kid, ) but we would visit on occasion. That’s why it kind of took me for surprise one Saturday when Bob suggested they would like to get to know us a little more, take us out for dinner some time….”and maybe take a road trip to Nauvoo“
Me being the simple guy that I am, played dumb, smelled a rat, so first chance I could, I got on-line and googled “Nauvoo”. Sure enough, those little rascals were trying to put the moves on me spiritually. ..they were Mormons and this invite was a veiled attempt do some “friendship evangelism.”
Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, even certain segments of the Christian community are not above “hustling”. It smacks of manipulation pure and simple. Now if you have a genuine interest in me, you’re willing to accept me right where I’m at, and if I don’t buy what you’re selling, you’re still willing to accept me, then I’d say you’re not a hustler. If on the other hand, you come into my life with a fixed agenda, give me your little schpeel, I don’t bite, so you walk away muttering something negative about me..then you are no different from the snake oil salesman of yesteryear….you don’t really care about me, no matter what you tell yourself.
I’ve been thinking along these lines because I got a call last week from a couple who have reservations in our Bed and Breakfast come June. They have a booth at our county fair selling two health related products. Having sold a few things myself, I could already feel him working me over the phone.
It just so happens that my wife and I had already decided we needed to start eating healthier this past February. I got a craving for some cookie dough so I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I can still remember standing over my favorite ceramic mixing bowl, dumping that cup of white sugar into the mix. In two and a half days I ate the whole batch, never made one cookie. I was a sugar junkie out of control.
Later that same week I caught Dr Oz on a PBS special talking about obesity, processed sugars, blue berries, fad diets….he talked about keeping things simple, slow weight loss is more effective long-term or you end up loosing muscle mass. the importance of a good breakfast, why you need to snack, why certain foods make you feel full while others don’t. He said forget your pants size (mine hadn’t changed in 25 years) instead, run a tape measure around my belly button area, that’s the fat to be concerned about. I was shocked.
So I’m already interested in being more healthy, if you have some tips you like to share, great, I’m listening. (That includes you the blog reader) I’m not interested in being part of your great business opportunity.
You’ve heard that old maxim don’t work for friends or relatives….I would add, don’t hustle friends and relatives….relate to them,no strings attached, you can’t go wrong. As always, thanks for reading my stuff. 
DM
DM
