cl on the dl
Ever try to sell something? Most of us are much better at buying something. But we buy new. We go to a store that sells what we want. Maybe a shirt. We wear it to work and people say, “Nice shirt.”.
Ever try selling something people might not want? Like a tandem bicycle? Where do you begin? I put a “For Sale” sign on mine and rode it to the coffee shop, locked it up, and hoped a couple would pass by.
No luck. So I put it on Craigslist.
The Nigerians contacted me. I didn’t want to help them. I got emails from a few locals who apparently realized what a dumb idea a tandem bike is shortly after replying, because I never got a follow up. I waited a week. Then I reposted.
A man called who wanted to teach his girlfriend how to ride a bike. A woman called who wanted to get around with her autistic son. Another man called who wanted it as a gift for his friends wedding.
None of them did more than tell me their dreams into the phone. They never showed up.
I still have this damn thing. I ride it around and look lonely. But I’m not. There’s a great online community I belong to.
This blog post reads like the most beautiful short story I’ve read all week.
My retail job is transforming from customer service into high pressure selling; employees who have worked quietly and hard for 15 years are now expected to pitch benefits and deflect criticisms and build crowds. You can play it like a game, to save your soul. It’s all right if it’s all about the score. But these are hard times for the modest and the circumspect.
Comment by Winston — October 2, 2010 @ 6:30 am