A 32-year-old cartoonist from Columbus, Ohio, has shared hilarious screenshots of negotiating the price of her own spit with a creepy guy she met online.
Emi Gennis says she met the guy on social media and they initially hit it off, but things got really weird. Gennis recently told BuzzFeed News the guy became “overly-enthusiastic” and she decided to cool the jets on their conversation.
But he continued to text lewd messages, eventually asking to buy a jar of her spit over Thanksgiving.
Gennis then masterfully turned this shocking exchange into a lesson for freelancers.
Today's very special edition of Being A Woman On The Internet: pic.twitter.com/PrkhF0kpKY
— emi gennis (@imemi) November 22, 2018
First, because I'm not well informed on industry standard prices for this…uh, item…I want the client to set the anchor price (the initial price offer). I don't want to run the risk of naming a price that's too low and getting underpaid. pic.twitter.com/qHNcBHZjW0
— emi gennis (@imemi) November 22, 2018
She demonstrated how to drive a hard bargain with a thirsty client.
All deadlines should be clearly stated. If the client is asking for a quick turnaround, charge a higher price for that inconvenience to you. Here I have again presented the client with options. pic.twitter.com/bJnBsQh3zu
— emi gennis (@imemi) November 22, 2018
Gennis carefully explained how many ounces of spit she could produce per day.
Break down your prices so the client knows exactly what they're paying for, and doesn't feel like you're just setting the price at some arbitrary number. Make sure they understand the amount of work they're asking you to do and how much that costs. Transparency is key. pic.twitter.com/ot1Q70Smms
— emi gennis (@imemi) November 22, 2018
After she laid out her terms, the creepy guy stopped responding back. Weird!
I'm sure my mother is reading this, horrified, so allow me to add this disclaimer: no, Mom, I'm not going to send this guy a jar of my spit.
— emi gennis (@imemi) November 22, 2018
You could safely say this dude got more than he bargained for.
After her posts went viral on Twitter, Gennis received MORE requests for spit jars.
Oh ok now y'all think you're funny, sliding into my DMs like this
* eyes roll all the way into the back of my skull, down my throat, and into my chest cavity * pic.twitter.com/zrUzEdqn00
— emi gennis (@imemi) December 2, 2018
People reacted with shock, horror, and amazement at the insane “spit jar” request.
Reading the term "Jar of spit" made me gag. WHY ARE PEOPLE LIKE THIS. the offer *to film it* o_o owgodddd pic.twitter.com/g1RphHq9AP
— gareth standfield (@Gareth_S_CG) November 27, 2018
Others suggested negotiating tactics and offered their own jars of spit.
Can I offer you to send a jar of my spit instead, and then you'll send it to the guy, and we'll split the earnings? Easy money I say!
— Valdewyn ❄ (@Valdewyn) November 27, 2018
If you are acting purely as a broker – buying a jar of somone elses spit to sell to an internet rando for example make sure that you include your profit on the transaction. Use your branding if applicable. You may not have made anything, but that is exactly how retail works!
— Amis (@Amis_Unbalanced) November 27, 2018
Im not above selling someone a jar of my spit for $60 honestly
— adelon (@sexyhellevator) November 27, 2018
Is selling your own spit a thing? Some people are intrigued.
…I just read… a thread about a dating app's exchange with some stranger asking for a jar of spit… on how to go about negotiating the price of your commissions… and I learned things…
— Carlo Angelo (@artcarloangelo) November 29, 2018
Looking to buy: Jar of E-Girl spit
— i'm chipo mode now . (@Yosh_Cries) November 27, 2018
I'm gonna turn this into a teaching moment, and take this opportunity to outline a few basic undercutting strategies for those who might be interested.
I will sell you a jar of my spit for 35$. https://t.co/ALMiIp1SaI
— m night shyamalan stan (@mellowcoIlie) November 27, 2018
I mean…I’d sell dude a jar of spit for $75 too. What am I gonna do with it? Money is money 🤷🏻♀️
— Jesi (@jesileighs) November 27, 2018
Make sure to check out Emi’s awesome comics online. They’re way better than a jar of spit.
Also I make comics and stuff, in case you wanna check that out: https://t.co/JUfNn182aG
— emi gennis (@imemi) November 28, 2018
After her posts went viral, Emi stressed that it’s important not to “kink shame” people as long as their requests are respectful. In this case, the guy was totally creepy and ended up getting humiliated online.
Talk about spitting in the wind!
H/T: BuzzFeed, Emi Gennis
