However, I was only working there part-time and was eager on a busy Saturday afternoon to maximize my income because I was working on commission, when the store was swamped with customers usually by 3 pm I could easily pickup two or three customers at a time to make money.
On this particular day while is juggling two or three customers a old men in a worn blazer un-pressed grey slacks, a white buttoned-down and a navy knit tie . I also noticed how grubby the old Burberry draped over his arm was as he continued to loiter and eavesdropping, while I explain the benefits of whatever garment I was trying to sell to my the two different customers.
Eventually, this old man’s eavesdropping started to irritated me as I bouncing from one customer to the other. I looked around to see if I could find another salesperson to help him and get him off my back. But it was all very odd as all my colleagues kept away and wouldn’t make eye contact with either him or me and I assumed that they knew this guy. “Perhaps they know him” I thought. “He must be a dripper” I decided a New York retail term for a time wasting customer.
So I decided to be assertive and as I put my arm around his shoulder I turned him around and led him out of the department “I really think you need a salesman’s help” I told him with a smile ”and your going to find it in this department” as I left him in the adjoining department.
Once the room had quieted down as customers drifted away and the sales day drew to a close, the salesman and I all slipped away to relax or to have a cigarette. But I noticed the old man I had ejected earlier huddled in a corner with Rhoda the department manager. Before long she was approaching me and I could see she was clearly agitated.
“Mr. Pressman wants to see you,” she told me.
I knew that Fred Pressman was the name of the son of Barney and the current owner of the firm. My mind raced as a thought of what to say in my defense, as I realized that the annoying old man who had kept eavesdropping and irritating me was actually the owner of the company. I also knew I had breached the companies golden rule of not helping more than one customer at a time
‘This could be awkward’ I thought to myself as I forced a smile and thrust my hand in his direction to shake his as I introduced myself. “Such a pleasure to meet you, Sir”.
However, I needn't have worried as the first thing Mr. Pressman said in his raspy throaty New York accent was to Rhoda “Where did we get this guy he’s a great salesman”.
What a relief.
Over the coming years I came to know Mr. Pressman well, almost considering him a friend. And I learned a lot directly from him as he continued to loiter around myself and the other salesmen selling on the floor. As he often interceded and helped you close the sale if you were letting a good sale slip away if he thought you were making a basic mistake...
By R. Cassidy, London
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