Say ‘Yes’ to ‘No’

For many years I worked as a salesman in my father’s company. There were times when I nearly made a sale but the customer would say that he would call me the next day and confirm the order. I would come back quite excited and tell dad I had nearly finalized an order.

“When will we know, Bob?” he would ask.

“Tomorrow,” I would say and would go to sleep happy that I was so close to a sales victory. The next day arrived and it arrived very soon. “Let the customer call!” I would say to myself and then wait impatiently next to the phone.

“So Bob, have you finalized the deal, son?”

“Not yet!” I would tell him.

The day would pass and I knew I was too much of a coward to find out whether I had won the order or lost the deal.

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