Thursday, September 08, 2005

The Summer of My Japanese Salesman

So, I'm just sitting at my desk, trying to think of any kind of a recent interesting experience that could delight and entertain you. I'm drawing a blank. Maybe I'll tell another boring story from days gone by. And then I hear a knock on the door. Our office has a rear entrance off the parking lot,so we keep the front door locked. I go to the door and there a young man is standing on the front stoop. He's really just a kid with the very early beginnings of a beard. He kinda looks like a Japanese Shaggy (from Scooby Doo). The guy is wearing baggy pants and a t-shirt, and is carrying a backpack.
"May I help you?" I politely ask the young man.
"Here's who I am," he says, handing me his drivers license along with his John Tyler Community College library card.
"Uh, okay," I intelligently reply. "What can I do for you?"
He then says something about advertising his computer business, and begins to explain how he and his brother and his sister, Jenny, are starting some sort of business. It sounds somewhat like they're trying to reinvent the Internet, but I'm not sure.
"Interesting," I say, always the one who desires to encourage and motivate others, even if it means taking time from my busy schedule of thinking. "But, I don't see how we (we, being the company I work for) can help you."
"Well, do you have a photocopier?" he asks.
"Yes," I say, being somewhat caught off guard by that question.
"That might work," he says, leaving me even more confused. He continues on. "I may need copies and at the library they charge ten cents a copy. And, they only have a black and white copier."
I'm scratching my head, mainly because it really did itch. I'm also bewildered. I'm not sure if he wants to set up his office in our office.
"Our copier is only black and white," I say, wondering how I've ended up having a discussion about our photocopier with a strange Japanese man on our front porch.
I guess this kid thinks I'm acting rather unfriendly. So he pulls out his wallet again and shows me that has eight dollars and a debit card. Now he has my attention. I didn't know we were talking big bucks here. But since I figure that I'd be no match for him in a fist fight, I decide not to try and grab his money. So,I just say, "I don't think we'll be able to help you."
He thanks me, and I gently close and lock the door. Five minutes later I notice he's stiill standing on the porch. He must have noticed that I noticed, because he flips me off and walks away.
Now tell me my life isn't filled with excitement.