The CGA Frustration

            There was a kid named Justin Matheson, who was a sales representative for Vector Marketing. He had recently been to a Workshop that explained in great detail the keys for recommendations, so he was really fired up about it.

            One day he was giving a presentation to a man named Oswald Johnson, who was a guard for a castle. Oswald bought an All Knife Set, and an Entertainment Pak. Now it was time for the recommendations.

            “Now Oswald, there is one more very important part. This is where you can REALLY help me out. I get paid every time I show Cutco, but I can only show it to those who have given me permission. So what I’d like you to do, is while I’m cleaning up, jot down 7 to 10 names of people who you can call. I’m not necessarily looking for people to buy, just people kind like you to take a look. So here’s my pen and my notebook, just jot down as many names as you can. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!”

            Oswald wrote down 20 names, and Justin was really excited.

            “Now Oswald, this is the MOST important part. Like I said, I can only show cutco to people who have said it’s okay, so it would be great if you can help me get in touch with some of these people now!”

            Oswald said, “Oh okay! Absolutely, I love to talk to people on the phone!”

            Justin said, “Great! Now who do you think would be best to call first?”

            Oswald replied, “Hmmm. Probably Jacob. He and I go way back! He and I guarded a son whose father paid us just to guard him! He was grounded for a month, and he needed us to make sure he didn’t leave his room, until his father came to get him.”

            Justin said, “Okay! When you call Jacob, can you tell him who I am and how you know me? Where I go to school? And could you tell him that the appointment was fun and easy? Oh and make sure you tell him that he doesn’t have to buy anything, because I get paid just to show it! And ask him if it would be alright for me to give him a quick call!”

            Oswald smiled and said, “Alright then!”

            Oswald was on the phone. “Jacob? Hey! This is Oswald! How are you? Anyways, a kid named Justin just showed me a presentation on Cutco knives! It was really awesome! He goes to school at UVSC, and gets paid just to do the presentation! Cool huh? Okay, well I’ll talk to you later! Alright buh bye!”

            Justin exclaimed, “You forgot to ask him if it would be alright for me to give him a quick call!”

            Oswald said, “Oh I see! Sorry about that! I’ll try again! I’ll call Marie this time”

            “Hello Marie? Hey this is Oswald! Hey would it be alright if he gave you a quick call? What’s that? Oh okay, bye then!”

            Justin said, “Thank you for remembering this time, but you forgot to say who I am, where I go to school, and that I get paid just to show Cutco, and that it is fun and easy!”

            Oswald said, “Oh I see! I’ll try Marcus now!

            “Hey Marcus! It’s me Oswald, how are you doing? Anyways, there is a kid named Justin who is doing cutco presentations, and he was wondering if he could give you a quick call to set up an appointment! Okay! I’ll tell him! Oh yeah, I forgot, you have to buy because he gets paid when you do! Oh really? Okay, bye then.

            “Marcus said he’s not interested!”

            Justin said, “No! They don’t have to buy! I get paid just to show it!”

            Oswald slapped himself in the face. “AARRGGHHH!!!”

            Justin said calmly, “No! Don’t worry about it! It’s totally fine!”

            “Hey Andrew! What? This isn’t Andrew? Oh okay then, bye!”

            Justin said, “If they don’t answer the phone, ask for them!”

            Oswald said, “Oh I see! Okay!

            Hey is Chris there? Oh hi Chris! This is Oswald! How are you? Okay, bye!”

            Justin sighed, and explained the procedure again.

            “Hey is Marie there? Hey Marie, it’s Justin! How are you?”

            Justin interrupted, “I’m Justin! You’re Oswald!”

            “Sorry, It’s me Oswald! Anyways, I was just calling because Justin, who is over at my house right now, is giving out presentations on cutco knives! They are really cool! Anyways, I was wondering if I could give you a call some time! Okay, thank you, bye!

            Hey Justin! I think she’s interested!”

            Justin sighed, and said, “You’re supposed to ask her if I can give her a call! Not you!”

            Oswald laughed and said, “Oh I see! Sorry! I’ll try again!

            Hi Alex! This is Oswald! Hey, do you want to buy knives?”

            “No! Don’t say that!” Interrupted Justin

            “Oh sorry! Anyways, a kid named Justin is over right now, and he is giving presentations on cutco knives! Anyways, they are really expensive! The homemaker set is 849 dollars! Expensive huh? I ended up buying a smaller set! Anyways, if you buy the homemaker set, then Justin can give you the presentation!”

            Justin said, “No! He doesn’t have to buy anything! I can give the presentation for free!”

            “Sorry, you don’t have to buy anything! He gives the knives out for free!”

            Justin cried, “No! I give the presentation for free!”

            “Sorry, you have to buy his presentation!”

            “No! The presentation is free!”

            “I mean… Hello?

            He hung up!”

            Justin painfully explained the rules again, trying as hard as he could to be happy and enthusiastic.

            Oswald called a woman named Martha. “Hey is Martha there? Martha, this is Oswald! How are you doing? Anyways the reason I’m calling is a kid named Justin is at my house right now! He goes to school at UVSC! He is selling Cutco knives, and he gets paid just to sell them…”

            “Show them!”

            “Sorry, he gets paid just to show them! I was wondering if you could give him a quick call, and set up and appointment with him”

            “No! I call her, and set up an appointment with her!”

            “Sorry, he will call someone else”

            “No, Martha!”

            “What?”

            “I will set up an appointment with Martha!”

            “But you already set up an appointment with me!”

            “No! Martha, the one you are talking to on the phone!”

            “Oh her! Martha? Are you there? Anyways, he will call you and set up an appointment with you! Okay thank you! Bye!”

            Justin said, “What did she say?”

            Oswald said, “Hmmm… I can’t remember!”

            Justin assumed it was a yes, so he put a yes in the box. Justin was about to explode, but he knew that it would be worth it in the long run.

            Oswald called a man named Alfred, “Hey Alfred! It’s me Oswald! Anyways, there is a kid named Albert”

            “Justin!”

            “Sorry, Justin, who is giving out Cutco presentations. He gets paid just to show it, and I was wondering if he can give you a quick call? One second…

            Give him a quick call for what?”

            Justin sighed, and said, “Give him a quick call to see if I could set up an appointment with him!”

            Oswald said, “But Justin, I already did call him!”

            Justin sighed again, “No! Not you! Me!”

            Oswald said to Alfred, “He will give me a quick call”

            “Give HIM a quick call!”

            “Sorry, he will give you a quick call to set up an appointment with you! Oh okay! I’ll tell him! Okay bye!”

            Justin said, “What did he say?”

            Oswald said, “Well, I think he said ‘Hello, yeah this is Alfred, how are…”

            “No! Did he say whether or not I can give him a quick call?”

            Oswald replied, “Oh I’m sure he’d be alright if you called him, he was fine when I called him!”

            Justin shook his head, assumed Alfred agreed, so he checked the box.

            Oswald called a woman named Nancy. “Hey Nancy? Hi this is, um, one second.

            Justin, what’s my name?”

            Justin rolled his eyes, and said, “Oswald!”

            “Oh yes! Nancy! This is Oswald! Anyways the reason I’m calling, a kid named Justin is at your house giving a presentation on Cutco!”

            Justin said, “Your house! I’m at your house!”

            Oswald said, “My house, giving presentations! It seemed a bit weird that I would be calling you to tell you that he’s giving you a presentation on Cutco! Anyways, he’s over here giving a presentation on cutco, and he was wondering if he could give you a quick call to set up an appointment! What’s that? Okay, then never mind then! Have a good day! Buh bye!

            “Nancy said she probably won’t buy anything, so I told her never mind!”

            Justin said, “Oh look at the time! I really had better get going! Thank you so much for your time!”

            Oswald said, “Wait! Just let me call one more person! I promise! I’ll do it right this time!”

            Justin said, “I really really really need to go! Just one more phone call!”

            Oswald picked up the phone and called a woman named Beatrice. “Hey Beatrice? This is Oswald, from Cutco! Anyways, there is a kid named Justin at my house giving presentations on cutco. He goes to UVSC, and he gets paid just to show these presentations! I was wondering if he could give you a quick call to set up an appointment! Okay! Buh bye!

            “She said yes!”

            Justin smiled, feeling a sense of relief, shook Oswald’s hand, and left. ‘I’m sure glad that’s over with!’ Justin said to himself.