Todd could feel the win. At thirty-one he'd landed a training spot for one of the most successful business-to-business companies in the U.S. He'd worked his ass off for weeks in the training to earn a job selling their products and services. This would be the guaranteed financial success for him and his family.
A single sale would be worth millions and the commissions that the company would layer on top of a much better-than-average salary would be rich rewards indeed. But he had to successfully complete the training.
The program wasn't what most companies do for new sales executives. Most companies offer two weeks of training -- at most. This company had an intense thirteen-week program and Todd was in the last week. The centrally located training took place in St. Louis. Candidates from all over the country were flown in and housed in a very good hotel for their three-month training. During the first twelve weeks, half of the candidates had given up or been asked to leave.
Todd was an inch or two over six fee tall and looking around at his classmates there seemed to be an unwritten company rule that all of the sales guys be tall. Todd wasn't sure if he had very light brown hair or kind of dark blond hair. And, like all of the trainees, he was around thirty and fit. Not exactly a gym rat, but fit enough that he didn't mind going shirtless as he liked showing off his smooth chest, pecs and tiny nipples.
It was Friday, and the class concluded on the following Wednesday. There was scuttlebutt that there was some "Must Pass" test at the end and it was scheduled for Friday evening.
Todd was tense. He'd made it this far and felt good about passing any test, but also frustrated that there was one more do-or-die test to pass.
Their instructor a middle-aged man named Frank who had been heading the training program for over ten years had called a meeting in the hotel's classroom for 7pm.
The remaining candidates, now numbered only around twenty, gathered in the hotel's class room.
Promptly at seven, Frank walked to the front of the room and called for silence. The candidates took seats and a hush fell over the room.
"This is the end, men," Frank said. "This is where we separate the men from the boys. This is your last test and if you're going to work for us, you must pass it. Think of it as Pass/Fail. There's no in-between. Pass and you get the job. Fail and we'll quickly forget your name and you can go home in defeat.
"So, here's the final test. We've spent thirteen weeks teaching you everything you need to know to be successful in this job and we've spent the last six weeks talking about sales. You now have the best sales training between your ears of any one in the nation.
"Selling is about seducing a buyer into trusting you and agreeing to take what you offer. This is the path to every sale, without regard to the product, service, or idea. So, here's your test. Tonight, before morning, you must work the bar, find a woman, seduce her and have sex with her."
There was mixed reaction: some cheers, some scattered applause.
"There are a couple of rules. On Monday, you have to present evidence of your successful sales seduction. I suggest a picture on your smart phone. And, the other rule is that you can't use hookers. Questions?"
There were none. Frank said, "Okay, off with you and good hunting!"
The sound of chairs moving and the men's murmuring mixed into a din. The men shuffled out and headed to the bar area. Some sat with other candidates and some sat alone as they decided which women to approach.
They generally agreed that identifying the hookers and eliminating them was the first task and they worked together on this, sharing their observations.
In their training they'd studied John Nash's Game Theory. This led them to eliminating the prettiest girls and focus on easier prey. They started pointing out girls that weren't quite as pretty, carried a few extra pounds or emitted the stench of desperation. Some of the guys moved quickly on these women thinking that they'd jump at a chance for romance with a nice-looking guy and thus they'd complete the assignment and get the job.
Some of the guys got shot down and returned to scanning the room for opportunities. Soon about half of the guys had left the bar with a woman on their arms. They'd headed to the elevators.
An hour into this hunt, about three-quarters of the men had found a prospect. Todd continued to scan the room.
A bronze-red haired woman sitting at the bar caught is attention. She'd been over looked by all of the trainees as she, in no way, matched their "easy pickings" criteria. She was about thirty, with nice breasts and a tiny waist and killer hips. Sitting on a stool at the bar, Todd could see that she had great legs. She wore a black dress that gripped every curve of her sexy body. It was only adorned with a ring of sparkling rhinestones around the neck.
Todd continued to watch her. She was obviously waiting for someone as she glanced at the entrance often. Todd didn't hear her phone ring in the noise of the bar, but she reached into a small handbag and retrieved her phone. The conversation was fairly short and he could see that the caller had upset her in some way. As she dropped her phone back into her bag, Todd rose and started toward the bar. He took up the stool beside her.
"I saw you on your phone. You look like a beautiful woman that just got stood up."
"It's not what you think. That was my girlfriend, or maybe ex-girlfriend. We'd planned a girl's night out and she's blown it off for the dumbest reason!"
Todd waived over the bartender and asked for a bourbon on the rocks and a refill of what the lady was drinking. "So, what is the dumb reason?"
"Well, she was ready to leave when her husband, a real asshole, asked her to say hello to me from him. I guess he made it sound sexual and my friend went off on her husband accusing him of wanting to fuck me."
"Damn," Todd said.
"Hell, I wouldn't fuck that asshole husband of hers if he were the last dick on the planet."
She calmed down a bit and the drinks arrived. "Sorry that your friend and her asshole husband screwed up your evening," Todd said. He allowed her to get things off her chest. He listened patiently. He learned that she was a senior marketing manager for a local company, single, and career oriented, but like to have fun. Todd made the conversation easy for them both. She was warming to Todd.
They laughed over the worst jokes they'd ever heard. Todd had always found this to be a good way to charm a woman. Both of them had shared the worst joke they'd every heard.
She asked him why he was in the bar and he explained that he'd been there for three months with the company. He was ready to wrap it up and get home.
"Unlike most men in a bar who talk to strange women, you're wearing a wedding ring."
