Forty One

“Yes, sir.”

“And it’s really a road car, right? High-speed grand touring?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Look, Kimberly, why don’t you come into the office — we’re not that far away — and Bill and I will explain what we have in mind.” He paused and then added, “And don’t bother to dress. Whatever you’re wearing right now would be fine.”

“But what if I’m not dressed at all?” she asked with a giggle.

“Better yet!” he replied with a aural leer.

Kim was at the office less than fifteen minutes later and was told by the receptionist that George Harrison and Bill Miller were waiting for her in George’s office. The two explained that they were reacting to a suggestion from an employee — unnamed — regarding sales.

“Look,” George explained, “we’re a machine-tool company, but our salesmen aren’t engineers. The suggestion — made by a senior salesperson, by the way — is for us to use team selling: a salesman and a technical support person. Kim, since what we’re now selling are tools you designed yourself, there’s