I *hate* the census...

My battle with the Kansas City Census started last year. I had left to go to a meeting and Dustin was left at home with the kids. There was a knock at the door. *Enter*

The kids were going crazy and Dustin talked to the census surveyor at the door. We had been "selected" to do a census. He was trying to watch the kids and talk to this mean lady! She came into the house and her first interview took over an hour. I came home and my normally calm, laid back husband was stressed to the max. He stated, "she just kept asking questions and wouldn't leave".

After I heard his story I said, "why did you even answer the door?". Let me stop my story and add a disclaimer... Dustin and I are very different in ways we handle social situations. I would have just said "no, you may not come in". Just like I say, "no, I don't care if your product takes stains off my porch, I don't want it". It comes very easily to me. For my nice, relaxed, go with the flow husband, not so much!

Flash forward to the next month... the mean CL (Census Lady) comes back to ask her monthly set of questions. She is bothering me during daycare time. I tell her, nicely at first, "we wish to not participate in this program, we don't have time for the interviews, calls, and you coming during work hours". I thought that was all... NOPE! The census people are relentless.

Over the next couple of months we see this lady in a tan car stalking our house once a month. Leaving her card on our door, and waiting in her car until we would come out. Once my brother was visiting and we waited till she left so he could leave our house. I explained to this lady, this was not something we legally had to do, get someone else. Then the dreaded phone call came... they needed to speak to us and do a phone interview. At this point, I am done, I'm mad, and I am tired of the mean CL. (Whom, by the way is old enough to be my grandmother, but don't let looks fool you, she is a tough old CL.) After Dustin scheduled the interview (again, just say no), I called. I LOST IT.

I called them back and told them to leave us alone. At this time, all normal left my body. I told them I would call the police if they set foot on our driveway again asking for any type of info. This was about 4 months ago. The conversation with the census stalker left with, "we will note your account".

So, the last few months we have seen the tan stalker car come by but not try to get information or talk to us. Until yesterday.

I left daycare early to go out of town, which was probably a God thing. When two of my daycare parents were outside leaving, the mean CL approached them asking questions. The reason I am glad I wasn't here is because I don't have bail money. I would have not been so nice. It is one thing to harass me but to take it to the next step and talk to my daycare parents...nope, not ok! 

I spent 35 minutes yelling, talking like adults to a supervisor this morning. I was old enough to be his mom, and I must say they train them well. He was a hard person to break. After making a total crazy mess of myself, I finally asked to talk to someone else. I got the reply, "I am the highest person you can reach". Oh whatever... I said, "who do you work for?". He replied, " the government". I replied, " oh so you work for the devil". I hung up and called back and talked to someone much nicer and older! 

The census we are "volunteering" for is eight months long. Yesterday's encounter counted for our seventh month. After another long phone call, the mean CL lady will not be back for our eighth month. Even though there is nothing binding us to participate, and it is "volunteer", we can not be done. How can that happen? Really? Okay, whatever. You suck!

We did agree the mean CL would be getting spoken too- she crossed a line with questioning our daycare families. I was grateful that I spoke to someone higher up the the "highest person" . I made have not handled everything the "right" way but I was completely frustrated.

To quote the "higher up" I spoke to today..." we at the census go to great length to obtain our information". I indeed will agree. Once the census people entered my life, I felt as if I sold my soul to the devil.