This is not from a Storyteller’s imagination, this happened to me one Summer evening a few years ago.

I was doing some maintenance on my car, when a young man walked down my drive, folder under his arm, eyes set firmly on the front door, he had not noticed me at all, “Good Evening” I said, that stopped him in his tracks, after a moments hesitation he came over to me, in that brief moment, I decided he was trying to sell me something. “G-G-G-Good even-Good Evening Sir”, the young fellow continued with difficulty to explain the most wonderful paint product he was trying to sell. Whether it was me startling him, or nerves trying to sell the product, I know not, but he had a very bad stutter.

He continued his sales pitch and steadily his stuttering got easier, as I was listening, I could not help glancing around, looking for the hidden camera, for I was unsure if this was possibly a wind up. He continues to extol the value of the paint, I started to think this product would indeed be an investment worth making. It soon became clear that this was just a young man trying to make a living. I could not help admiring the courage of this young guy. Growing ever more in confidence, he came to the end of his sales pitch, by now, his stuttering had disappeared and he finished off by stating the paint product he was selling came with a “10 Year Guarantee”.

I pointed to the house and I said “The paint that is on now has a 15 Year Guarantee!” The young man looked first at the house, then at me and with what I can only describe as a look of amazement, his mouth opened and his reply was “F-F-Fu-Fuci-i-in-he-hell, sorry to have troubled you Sir”, put his folder under his arm and walked off to his next challenge. Door to door Salesmen have an uphill battle to make a living. This young man faces a mountain. I wish him all the success he deserves.

By Richard Ridding
A Storyteller from Burntwood.