Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Selling Coal to Newcastle

"Johnson I need to speak to you about this contract you signed for one year of coal to be delivered every month."
"Yes sir, we were really lucky, we just got under the wire, he only had a couple of orders left. I realize we don't need coal during the summer but the only way the salesman could guarantee delivery was to take a one year contract."
"Johnson, we are Newcastle Coal, the biggest coal producer in the biggest coal producing area in the world why would we want to buy coal?"
"Oh sure we sell coal but this would be for our own use, the salesman assured me that there was no better coal available anywhere and besides he had such a nice smile I just couldn't seem to turn him down. Of course, it is higher priced than ours but that is because it has to be delivered from so far away, but I'm sure it will be worth it."
Johnson's boss realizing that this was a salesman who had indeed; just sold coal to Newcastle told Johnson to get him on the phone so he could try to recruit him for his own company.
"I'm sorry sir, I just talked to him, and he has left Acme Coal to go to work for Coldspot Refrigerator's Alaska division."
"You mean..."
"Yes sir he is now selling ice boxes to Eskimos."

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