Law Of Attraction
For no good reason whatsoever the young man pulled down a brown
derby and handed it to me, or rather tried to hand it to me. I thought
he was trying to be funny, and refused to take the hat into my hands,
saying to him, in an attempt to return his compliment and be funny in
turn, "Do you tell bed-time stories also?"
He looked at me in surprise, but didn't take the cue, which I had offered him. If I had not observed the young man more closely than he had observed me, and sized him up as an earnest but inexperienced "extra," I would have been highly insulted, for if there is anything I hate it is a derby of any sort, much less a brown derby.
One of the regular salesmen happened to see what was going on, walked over and snatched the brown derby out of the young man's hands, and, with a smile on his face intended as a sort of sop to me, said, "What the hell are you trying to show this gentleman, anyway?"
That spoiled my fun, and the salesman who had immediately recognized me as a gentleman sold me the first hat he brought out. The customer generally feels complimented when a salesman takes the time to study the customer's personality and lay out merchandise suited to that personality.
I went into one of the largest men's clothing stores in New York City, a few years ago, and asked for a suit, describing exactly what was wanted, but not mentioning price. The young man, who purported to be a salesman, said he did not believe they carried such a suit, but I happened to see exactly what I wanted hanging on a model, and called his attention to the suit.
He then made a hit with me by saying, "Oh, that one over there? That's a high-priced suit!" HOT HEADS" go with "cold feet."
He who loses his
temper is usually a bluffer and when "called" is a
quitter.
His reply amused me; it also angered me, so I inquired of the young
man what he saw about me which indicated that I did not come in to
purchase a high-priced suit?
With embarrassment he tried to explain, but his explanations were as bad as the original offense, and I started toward the door, muttering something to myself about "dumb-bells." Before I reached the door I was met by another salesman who had sensed by the way I walked and the expression on my face that I was none too well pleased.