Shut Up!

My friend Willie calls back today.  He told me a great story.  He was visiting a regular customer of his and noticed that the guy was a few cases low on the product that Willie provides.  Because this large customer orders so much stuff on a regular basis normally a truck makes the delivery.  Willie, trying to be helpful, offers to replace just the product that was out of stock using his own personal vehicle.  I assume that a sub-current here - admittedly small - was to sell a little product a little earlier than otherwise.  I was a sales guy - I know I had to balance selling stuff with being of service to my customers.  Selling stuff did entail asking people to buy things.  The thin line between sales and service can be a tricky one.  

The customer told Willie that he wasn't going to buy anything when Willie entered the store.  Undeterred, Willie made his case.  I really believe my friend was trying to do the right thing.  And I really believe that his customer didn't want to buy any product.  Sometimes people don't want to do things even when it makes sense for them to do these things, and the reasons are clear only to them.  Fair enough.  I don't have to explain my actions in great detail to everybody.  If I don't want to buy something that is SUCH a great deal because it's on sale that's my own business.  
  
"Shut up!" the guy yelled, stopping Willie in his tracks.  That guy got Willie's attention.  That guy made his opinion clear. 

I laughed until my sides ached when I heard this story.  Normally I confess to laughing with my friends but in this case I confess to laughing at Willie.  He knew it was coming.  He laughed, too.

We talked for a bit about how similar this was to dealing with newcomers to The Program.  I can't tell you how many times I've been speaking to a new guy- killing himself  with drugs and alcohol, his life in ruins - with the realization that he wasn't going to do anything that I was suggesting.  I may think that I have a better idea than he does - and I very well might in many of these cases - but that isn't my call to make.  It's his.  When I'm telling some dude how much better his life would be if he would quit drinking and drugging and work The Steps, I'm probably right.  But what do I know?  Maybe the dude needs to take the elevator down a few more floors.  I got off at the floor where I needed to get off, and not a floor earlier.

I don't think I'd be offended if one of these guys just shouted: "Shut up!"  I'd think: "Fair enough."