Melinda's One-Finger Manicure

While escorting my sister around San Antonio's famed river walk last Saturday, a young, tiny woman at a kiosk quietly stopped me with the question, "Want to see something amazing?"

Amazing?

Of course.

I was curious.

I said yes.

She then asked me to put my hands in a bowl. Then she poured a small amount of dead sea something or other on my hands and asked me to wash them. I did.

"When was the last time you washed your hands?" she asked.

Though it was Saturday, I said, "Last Monday."

She laughed, and then pointed out how dirty my hands were. Apparently the dead sea stuff was getting dead dirt off my hands.

The little lady then asked me if she could do my fingernail. I agreed

She began to scrub my index finger's nail with some dead sea block of something or other. As she did, she asked, "When was the last time you had a manicure?"

"A manicure? Probably in a past life. I've never had one."

The girl went on with her sales pitch. I was going along with the demo, thinking all along I would just buy this stuff for Nerissa.

But I have to admit I was enjoying the interaction and becoming interested in the products. It was hypnotic selling at work.

Though the girl seemed a little awkward in her presentation, she was doing fine in engaging me.

But the punch line was yet to come.

At the end of her spiel, I bought just under one hundred dollars of her goods.

She then announced, "My name is Melinda and you were my first customer."

I was stunned.

Almost speechless.

"You've never done this before?" I asked.

"Today's my first day," she replied. "You're my first customer."

Her boss was standing behind the kiosk and came out to confirm that yes, indeed, Melinda just made her first sale.

Goes to show you that you can never determine what people are thinking, what their skills or experience level might be, or much else, until you put them on the stage.

And even then you won't know for sure.

This is true for you, as well.

So go out there and try something new today.

Ao Akua,

Joe

www.mrfire.com

PS -- "I love you" is now actress Cathy Lee Crosby's mantra. Stay tuned to learn why.