The Salesman

In these dismal days of recession, behold, there came through the gates of the city a salesman from afar. And it came to pass that he sold plenty. And in that city were they that were mere order takers and they that spent their days in adding to alibi sheets.

Mightily were they astonished by his success and spoke one to the other and queried, “How doth he perform so competently?” And it came to pass that many of the mere order takers were gathered in a back office when a soothsayer came amongst them. And they spoke to him and questioned him vigorously, saying, “How is it that this stranger can accomplish the impossible in such hard times?”

Whereupon the soothsayer said, “He, of whom you speak, ariseth very early in the morning and goeth forth full of pep. He complaineth not and neither doth he know despair. He is immaculate in appearance and is arrayed in fine linen, while ye goeth forth with garments and appearance unkempt.

While ye gather and say one to the other, verily this is a terrible day, he is already abroad. And at the eleventh hour he needeth no alibis. He knoweth his line and they that would stave him off, give him orders. Men say unto him “Nay” when he cometh, yet when he goeth forth he hath their names on that line which is dotted. Then the soothsayer said, “He taketh with him two angels, ‘inspiration’ and ‘perspiration’ and he worketh very hard. Verily I say unto you, go and do likewise.”

Fall 2009
Cleaning Digest
INDEX