The 'Yes' Man - Susan E. Runyon (e book reader pdf txt) 📗

We all live pretty normal lives, comfortable in the reality that surrounds us. Once in awhile something very different enters into our view and forever changes how we perceive our life. Sometimes this thing is a miracle.

What is a miracle? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary it is "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs", or it is "an unusual event, thing, or accomplishment."

When you are an average middle of the road sales person in retail, it is not one of the items listed in the sales associate's handbook. Although, sometimes it may feel like a miracle that you made your sales goal, or that your paycheck actually covered expenses for those two weeks you just worked.

Or it may seem like a miracle when a couple of stray bullets from a drive by shooting shatter the front windows of the store, but the salesman working at a computer display is protected from the flying glass caused by the bullets by the computer at which he is working. Some might call that luck or bad luck or a statistical probability as the store was at the edge of several gang territories. Some might say that something was bound to happen at the store.

The story I am going to relate appears to me covered more by the first part of the definition - divine intervention.

A young pre teen, perhaps twelve years old with his father came into the electronics store where I worked. They seemed like an ordinary dad and son. The boy spoke first. He appeared a little embarrassed tinged with small dose of annoyance.
"My dad wants to buy something."
"All right." I answered.
"I don't know what he wants."
I started to address the average height, dark haired, dark eyed, pleasant looking man in front of me. I thought that perhaps he didn't speak English.
The boy added quickly, "He doesn't talk."
I processed this information and then said, "Okay, I'll show him around the store" At the time there weren't any other customers in the store, so it was a good moment for that.

I lead the father and his reluctantly trailing son around the store. At the start of each of the various sections, I gave them a summary of what was in the section and then lead them through each one. I watched the man face for an indication of a hit or a miss. When I reached the correct section he seemed more interested. We moved carefully through the section until we found the item he wanted.

We went back to the register and the son completed the transaction taking his father's wallet and paying cash for the item. It had been a small but very interesting sale for me.

About two weeks later the two came back again. This time it seemed to me that the son seemed even more annoyed. We went through the same procedure as before. This time I started at the section where the father had found what he wanted. That wasn't the section that he needed this time. We were persistent and we did find the correct section and the right item that he wanted. Again his impatient son paid for it and they left.

I briefly wondered what could have caused the father's enforced silence - a stroke? He seemed too young for that. He appeared in his mid 30's at the most. And he moved normally from what I saw. The thought came and went. I had other customers to attend to.

The next time the dad was by himself. We repeated our procedure. This time he pulled out his wallet and paid for the item.

Sometimes a couple of week or a month would pass before my silent customer came back. Then he began to nod his head in agreement at everything I said or showed him. I learned to interpret his expressions. Then he would nod and utter 'ugh' at everything I presented to him. Again I watched for more subtle signs that would indicate it was the right or the wrong product. He went from "ugh' to a nod and 'yes'.

It was as if he were in a verbal loop and yes was the one word that he could say like the 'ugh' sound that he had started with. I became better at reading the subtle signs that indicated his yes was a 'no' or that his yes was a 'yes'. He always seemed happy. He was now one of my regular customers.

Some people have difficulty dealing with other people that don't fit into the norms of appearance or action. My customers tended to be these out of the norms. They were Spanish only speakers or Asians new to the U.S. or grumpy people who never seemed to smile. I gave them mine whenever I saw them. My customers came in wheel chairs or with red tipped white canes on the arms of friends or assistants. My customers were African-Americans with attitude. My customers were the elderly whose life had slowed to a more leisurely pace. I moved casually with them. My customers were Native Americans who flitted around the perimeter of the store like Ravens that had been startled. My customers were gang bangers and ex cons on parole, who had tattoos up the wazoo and then some. They brought along their families and friends. I sold a lot of electronics.

One of my favorite customers was the 'Yes' man as I came to think of him. He was always a bright spot in my day. But all good things do pass. The store was closed and moved to another location that was closer to higher income neighborhoods. The small mall we had been in was closed and sold to an organization that restructured it into office spaces. The new store was bigger, cleaner, and brighter because one wall was almost totally floor to near the ceiling windows. It had its own parking lot. Now we could see the customers' Cadillacs, Porches, custom Harleys and some average cars as they drove in and parked.

Little by little some of my previous customers found the new store. Most of the disabled customers couldn't make it to the new place. Some of the elderly did find it. A couple came and told me that they could no longer be my customers because the distance was just too far for them. They wanted to let me know. I said I was sorry and would miss seeing them. I thought about the 'Yes' man occasionally and wondered how he was progressing. About five months after we moved to the new store, I had a whole new cadre of regular customers along with some of my previous regulars.

I had just finished a sale. I was standing behind a register. The buzzer sounded that a customer had come into the store. I smiled and looked up. 'Yes' man had just walked into the store. I came out from behind the counter to greet him and shake his hand. I welcomed him to the new store.
"It's good to see you again." I said.
He smiled his usual bright smile and said, "It's good to see you again, Susan."
I usually do not hug customers, but we embarrassed each other. I was overjoyed.
I told him that I had been thinking of him and how glad I was to see that he was alright.
He said, "I just had to see you to let you know."
"Oh, thank you, so very much."
He didn't need anything more. He left.

I've told this story to some friends and acquaintances. I think how kind and considerate he was to take the time to find me, a somewhat stranger, and let me know he was healed. Yes, he went through therapy, medical assistance, but things could have turned out otherwise. Yes, he put in a great deal of effort to recover, but he was never alone. In addition to his family, doctors, friends, and a somewhat stranger, he had divine intervention. Anyway you want to cut it, I would call that a miracle.

Publication Date: 01-06-2010

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