Invasion of the Land Snatchers....

My job requires me to do things that I am uncomfortable with. Not that they are bad things but sometimes they are outside my comfort zone. I am usually amazed that when my gumption gears up and I make the cold call - I am continually surprised at how easy my job is... Like Nike says - "Just Do It".

Well one of my projects has been putting some pressure on me for one of my sites but I have come up empty on all my attempts to make contact with a small church in Norcross. They have no phone number listed, no information when doing a Google search, No mailbox, no other indicators on their marquee out front.

Last Wednesday I got my gumption up and I decided to go to their Wednesday night service, but it didn't start until 7pm, so the marquee says. I drive around for a while and pass the church at 6pm and the gates aren't opened, 6:15 another pass and still locked, 6:30 same thing, 6:45 and still no one there and gates are locked. By 6:55 I decide that God must have had the night off.

With that failed attempt, what was left? Yup, Sunday Service. It took me a solid HOUR to get there on a Sunday and I got there right at 10am. Do I go in or do I sit cowardly in my car? You got it - I sat in my car. I was sitting there beating myself up and a woman pulls up in her Ford Ranger truck, complete with hunting rifle in the gun rack and Georgia bumper stickers all over. She gets out and finishes her cigarrette. (She reminded me of Marge Simpson's sisters.) I approach her as graciously as possible and even apologize for my intrusion. I ask her for a way to contact someone/anyone from the church and she was nice enough to give me the Head Deacon and Preacher's #'s. Then she asks what this is about. What i want to do cannot be explained correctly in 1-2 sentences so I give her an overview and she goes nuts. "You have alot of nerve coming here on a Sunday Morning." "Ma'am, I didn't know how else to get in touch with anyone." "You should be ashamed of your self, this is a place of worship!" as she snatches my cards out of my hand and growls "Wait till I tell Dad about this." (I deduce the Head Deacon is her father)

This encounter really upset me for the rest of the day. Did what I had to do, failing was not an option here, and I felt guilty.

This morning, at 8:15, I call the Head Deacon, apologize for the encounter with his daughter by explaining that she misconstrued my intent. I gave him my speil and he is definitely interested. He asked some good questions and gave me some work to do to answer them but I feel they are in. Why was his daughter such a bitch? I no longer feel bad about what I did - I am actually going to help this little church, that happens to be located on prime real estate...