Time-sharing

A few weeks ago Brian and I had the opportunity go through a time-share experience. Brian got a letter in the mail inviting us to a 90 min. presentation. We decided it would be a fun experience. my parents get invited to time share presentations at least once a year. So we called and scheduled an appointment knowing full well we would NOT be buying into this thing. We just want the free trip.

When the day came, we dropped Maddie off with his parents and took Reese with us on the long-ish drive to east Texas to some tiny little town by Tyler. Its so small, we literally could not find a gas station when we needed one. We drove until I thought the car was about to sputter and eventually we found a mom and pop gas station that was about 100 years old.

We finally found where we were supposed to be and got checked in and waited for them to call our name. We waited and waited. Finally, some dude with half a brain came to greet us. For example: when he greeted us, he looked at Reese, who was at the time about 3 weeks old and asked:
guy:"Oh! how old is she?
Me: "She's 3 weeks."
guy: " So...she's brand knew?"
Me: "um.....yea."

There was another time when he looks at Reese and tries to make conversation.
guy: "Who does she favor?"
Brian: "We don't know quite yet, she's kind of a mix right now"
guy: "When will you find out?"
I was confused by that last question. It took me a minute because I was thinking "find out what?" then I realized that he was talking about when will we find out who she resembles. As if there is a magical date out in the universe that says. Yep. Now it's time. You will look like________.

This was just a little bit of how our conversations with this sales guy went. Looking back at it now, the poor guy just didn't know anything about kids and he was a little socially awkward which is no reason for me to judge him. But all that combined with what should have been a 90min. presentation that lasted ALL DAY LONG and the fact that he was a sales person who looked like he needed a shower and he drove us around to show us the grounds in a 1980's beat up Chevy that smelled terrible of diesel. I had to hold Reese in my lap in the back seat on the deeply dry cut leather seats through the windy roads looking at cabins literally thinking "this is where this maniac is going to kill us and drop our bodies." It would have been a great Law and Order episode.

After the tour we arrived back to a large room full of sales people trying to make a sale to unsuspecting un-informed visitors like us. He talked some more about the time-share then fell silent. This thing was taking way to long. I finally told him we don't want to buy the time share, it just wasn't in the budget (They were asking for a $4,000 deposit. Are you kidding me? No thanks.) He says "Ok, that's ok, you don't have to but we have to wait for one of the managers to come over and talk to you so the presentation can be over." I had just about reached boiling point at that time. We had been there for over 3hrs. already. Our tour guide didn't tell us that we were waiting on a manager to come talk to us. We waited in silence for about 30 min. when a manager came over. He then tried to sell us this AMAZING deal. no.thankyou. I couldn't believe all the things he was saying. He had a comeback to all the reasons why we couldn't buy in today. After he realized we would not be doing this today, he called one more guy to come to our table to try his luck with us. He was less obnoxious, but I was SO done being there. I wonder how many people end up buying in just to get these people to stop talking.

After that ordeal we left the large room and went into another waiting area to claim our prize. We waited there for about 20 min. Our name was called to claim our prize from an older woman that smelled like cigarettes. We walked out with a trip to Hawaii and a cruise to the Bahamas.

I don't know if I would like to do that again. Maybe after the memory from this one wears off a little bit I will be able muster through another presentation. We are excited about going to Hawaii. We are hoping we can make it this summer. There are black out dates and what not, so we need to check into it. We will probably not be able to make both trips since we cannot take the cruise on their black out dates from June-August and that is the only time we can take a trip since my mom will be out of school. Reese also needs to be old enough for me to leave her that long.

If you choose to go on a time share presentation, be warned. Stay strong. Get the prize.