I have always liked door-to-door salesmen. That form of salesmanship has diminished and almost disappeared in our society today, but there are still some companies that utilize that method of selling products. I was sitting at home one day during the weekend, thinking of an assignment that had been given to me by my boss. A young intern in our office (his name was Benjamin) was going to be having a farewell party soon; he was leaving the company after accepting a permanent job, and the boss wanted me to be in charge of a “roast” in Benjamin’s honor. “You know what a roast is….. don’t you Jake?” my boss had asked me. “I think I do,” I replied. “Isn’t it sort of like a good natured, light-hearted bundle of jokes–whether true or false– that are told about a person?” “Right!” the boss had said nodding his head. “You can think of all the strange things that Benjamin has said, or the weird things he has done, or his unusual hobbies, or what he talks about doing in his spare time and make an enjoyable show at his embarrassment. But it’s all in fun! And since Benjamin was working with you the majority of the time while he was here, you probably know more about him than anyone else. You will do a great job putting something together!” He emphasized his point by giving me a big smile and a hard slap on the back before making a hasty exit from my office. (Is it any wonder that “boss” spelled backward is “double s.o.b.?) So now, here I was sitting in my living room straining my brain trying to remember anything and everything that Ben had said or demonstrated or shared with me that could be exaggerated into good “roast” material. While I was lost in thought, a movement outside my window caught my attention. A young man was walking up to my front door at a brisk pace carrying a small briefcase. From my vantage point, he looked exactly like Benjamin. What a stroke of luck! Maybe I could chat with him in person for a few minutes, and get some information from him that would be useful. I didn’t think to question why Benjamin would be visiting me at my home. The doorbell rang, but I was at the door before it had even finished sounding his approach. I pulled the door open–more quickly than intended, which startled the young man and caused him to take a step back. My excitement faded, and I tried not to show my disappointment. The young man at my door had the same brown hair, solid frame, and facial features as Benjamin, but up close, I realized that he was not the guy I had been working with for the past several months. In all honesty, he could have been Benjamin’s brother–the resemblance was amazing! The young man stepped forward and stretched out his hand in greeting. I took his hand and tried to hide my disappointment and concentrate my thoughts on what he was saying. He smiled broadly as he spoke in a very polite manner. “My name is Troy. I am a student at CSC and am traveling in your neighborhood today to introduce you to something that I feel every home needs. I am working my way through college by doing this, and would really appreciate the opportunity to tell you about our product. May I take a few moments of your time right now? By the look on your face, I may have caught you at a bad time though.” I put my concentration on the young man in front of me, and gave him a smile in return. “I’m sorry,” I told him. “I just thought that you were someone else. It’s amazing how much you look like him!” Troy’s smile grew even more. “Wow!” he replied. “If you think I look like another guy, he would have to be a very handsome fellow indeed!” That remark caused me to laugh; I took an instant liking to this guy and invited him in. “I’m Jake,” I told him as I took him around the corner into my living room and pointed to a comfortable chair. Troy had stopped at the door, and was removing his shoes. “It’s company policy, Jake” he told me. “It’s not a good first impression if I get your carpet dirty.” He walked into the living room and sat in the chair I had pointed out. For the next twenty minutes Troy demonstrated his product, and it was indeed something that every house would likely need. With his politeness and enthusiasm, I knew early on that I would be one of Troy’s customers. During his presentation, I kept looking at him closely. Though his nose was slightly smaller, and his jaw a little more square, he had a definite resemblance to Benjamin–who was monopolizing my thoughts lately. Troy stood once to show me a closer look at a statement in his flip chart, and as he returned to his chair, it was definitely obvious: from the back, Troy looked exactly the same as Benjamin. I excused myself and left the room, as Troy waited patiently. I needed to think about something, maybe formulate a plan, but not while Troy was talking to me. I could not afford any distractions while I was thinking. My mind was thinking back to something Benjamin had told me. He had his eye on a young secretary in our office, and had finally mastered the courage to ask Gina out on a date. Benjamin had shared his interest in Gina with me as we had worked together, and though I kept it quiet, other people that he shared this secret with did not. It was soon a hot topic for the office grapevine. I sometimes wondered if Gina had felt compelled to accept the invitation because of all the gossip circulating through the office.
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