Chapter 9

It was eight months since she had come to Solomon Chrysler and although Red and Pete were the only ones in her fan club, Julie was happy. Except for one thing…and it was happening again.

“I have to say, that car’s got a real nice ride, Julie,” said Mr. Gilbert.

“I just love it, Julie,” said Mrs. Gilbert.

Time to turn it over…

Julie deeply resented having to turn over her customer to a “closer”. She didn’t like subjecting them to that transition. And besides, she was perfectly capable of closing her own sales!

“Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert; I’m glad you’ve settled on a car you’d like to buy,” she said, “but I’m new here…”

How long must I keep saying that?

“So, I’ll need to get a manager to help you,” she continued. “I’ll be right back. Can I freshen up your coffee before I go?”

After topping off their coffee, Julie went looking for Pete or Red - or whoever was available - but everyone was busy. Dan O’Hara looked up as she walked by.

Oh, please, God…not Dan.

“Julie? You need some help? “

Actually, I don’t, she thought.

“Uh, yes,” she said. “My people are waiting to close. They’re interested in a used Imperial, but Pete is with another customer.” Brightening, she said, “Why don’t I go see how long he’ll be?”

“No, don’t bother him,” said Dan, getting up. “I’ll go with you. Where are they?”

Resigned, Julie handed him her worksheet and said, “They’re over on the left side of the showroom, in front of the window. The Imperial is parked right outside where they can see it.”

“All right. Introduce me,” said Dan, straightening his tie. “I’ll take it from here.”

Oh, thank you, Your Highness, Julie thought as she led him to the table.

“Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert, I’d like to introduce you to Mr. O’Hara, one of our Sales Managers.”

“Hi, folks. Call me Dan,” he said, smiling. He glanced down at the worksheet. “Is it all right if I call you John and Cecile?”

“Sure,” said Mr. Gilbert. He gave a perfunctory nod toward his wife. “You can call the wife ‘Cece’, though.”

“So, John, did you watch the Red Sox game last night?” said Dan, pegging him as the decision-maker.

“Man, that Roger Clemens…isn’t he something?” said Mr. Gilbert with a big smile, bonding with Dan.

Cece and Julie were immediately relegated to the bench.

•

When the Gilberts drove off in their newly acquired Imperial, Dan marched Julie into his office. Closing the door, he turned and glared at her, livid.

”Haven’t you learned anything?” he barked in her face, throwing the papers down on the desk. “You aren’t supposed to talk when I’m closing! Don’t you know they need to focus on me? Your talking takes their attention off of me and off the deal!”

“Mrs. Gilbert asked me a question,” said Julie through clenched teeth. “I thought it would be rude not to answer her.” She probably should have stopped there, but her building resentment just spilled out unchecked. “Besides, you and Mr. Gilbert were completely ignoring her. No wonder she started talking to me.”

Dan’s eyes widened, infuriated at her insubordination. A vein pulsed on the side of his temple and she could feel the anger radiating from him. He was crowding her, so close that she was forced to crane her neck up to look at him but she refused to give him the satisfaction of backing up.

“Look…Julie…” he said in her face, “buying a car is a man’s business. A guy may come in here with his wife, but when he’s ready to buy, it’s just him and the sales-man, another guy in a shirt and tie. It’s not his wife’s decision!”

“Well, I seem to be doing all right talking to both of them!” she shot back.

“Beginner’s luck, lady. By the way, did you know you were hired as a gag?”

Julie caught her breath and backed away as if he’d slapped her. Her face burning, she grabbed the papers off his desk and fled.

•

“Why didn’t you tell me, Pete? Did everyone know?”

Pete Soldano looked thoroughly distraught across his desk. “No! Nobody knew that but me and him,” he said. “I can’t believe he told you that. The bastard! Pardon my language.”

“Him? He’s not the one who hired me as a joke!”

“Look, I’m sorry, Julie. I mean…I’m not sorry that I hired you…” Pete ran his hands through his hair in frustration trying to explain. “It’s true that in the beginnin’ I was tryin’ to get back at him for winnin’ the trip, and I knew if I hired a girl it would piss him off. I’m sorry for that. But, honest-to-God, Julie, I saw you had talent right away and I told him.”

If repentance had a picture next to it in the dictionary, Julie thought, it would be Pete. She sighed. It is a man’s game. Hadn’t she been to three other dealers first? And what if Pete hadn’t hired her? I wouldn’t be in my apartment…

“All right. I guess I understand. But, please, Pete, you’ve got to let me go start to finish with my customers now. You owe me that much and you know I can do it! I promise to turn over anyone I can’t close.”

“I got no problem with you closin’ in my department, Julie. But forget Dan. He’ll never do it. Especially not now.”

“Please, Pete. Just get Dan to give it a try for a month. Just one month! Tell him I’m really upset. Tell him that I’ll probably quit if I fail. That should give him some incentive.”

“You wouldn’t do that, would ya’?” said Pete, alarmed.

“Are you kidding? You couldn’t drag me out of here now with the tow truck!

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