第17部分(第6/7 頁)

n　my　attempt　to　be　helpful；　I　found　myself　defending　my　suggestion。

〃I　have　a　master's　degree　in　English　Literature。　Why　would　I　go　to　school　to　learn　to　be　a　salesperson？　I　am　a　professional。　I　went　to　school　to　be　trained　in　a　profession　so　I　would　not　have　to　be　a　salesperson。　I　hate　salespeople。　All　they　want　is　money。　So　tell　me　why｜　I　should　study　sales？〃　She　was　now　packing　her　briefcase　forcibly。　The　interview　was　over。

On　the　coffee　table　sat　a　copy　of　an　earlier　best…selling　book　I　wrote。　I　I　picked　it　up　as　well　as　the　notes　she　had　jotted　down　on　her　legal　pad。　｜　〃Do　you　see　this？〃　I　said　pointing　to　her　notes。

She　looked　down　at　her　notes。 〃What；〃　she　said；　confused。

Again；　I　pointed　deliberately　to　her　notes。 On　her　pad　she　had　written　〃Robert　Kiyosaki；　best…selling　author。〃

〃It　says　'best…selling　author；'　not　best　'writing'　author。〃

Her　eyes　widened　immediately。

〃I　am　a　terrible　writer。　You　are　a　great　writer。　I　went　to　sales　school。　You　have　a　master's　degree。　Put　them　together　and　you　get　a　'best…selling　author'　and　a　'best…writing　author。'〃

Anger　flared　from　her　eyes。　〃I'll　never　stoop　so　low　as　to　learn　how　to　sell。　People　like　you　have　no　business　writing。　I　am　a　professionally　trained　writer　and　you　are　a　salesman。　It　is　not　fair。〃

The　rest　of　her　notes　were　put　away；　and　she　hurried　out　through　the　j；　large　glass　doors　into　the　humid　Singapore　morning。

At　least　she　gave　me　a　fair　and　favorable　write…up　the　next　morning。

The　world　is　filled　with　smart；　talented；　educated　and　gifted　people。　We　meet　them　every　day。　They　are　all　around　us。

A　few　days　ago；　my　car　was　not　running　well。 I　pulled　into　a　garage；　and　the　young　mechanic　had　it　fixed　in　just　a　few　minutes。　H