I knew better than to listen

I think most people would agree the smart thing to do is listen to what people tell you.
But lately I've been choosing instead to not listen to what people say and listen to my instincts instead.

Today at work there were more employees than customers.
That's always daunting with commission sales because it feels impossible to make your goal.
And I'm certain the people I greet as they walk by can smell my desperation.
Which likely reeks as bad as Angel perfume infused with pot smoke.
I wouldn't want my help either.

So when this group of three women walked by me towards a display tower and told me, they were fine and "just looking" I decided, like fun they are.
I worked in some casual remarks about the items they were looking at as though I was making conversation when really I was hovering.
I didn't care if it would merely be $40 I was going to get the sale.

But my hunch, my belief that these women weren't merely passing through paid off when their transaction surpassed $400.

It's one sale, one day but what if I'd ignored my instinct and listened to their words?

What if I always ignored my instincts and listened to what other people told me was true?

I think one of the nicest things I read in regards to this past week and my ability to instill rage in people was from an old classmate.
She wrote me this.


 Reading your recent blog about highschool drama reminded me of something you did for me in back then. It was freshman year and we had English class together (I think it was English). Anyway, someone played a cruel joke on me by calling up one of the popular assholes, leaving a message on his phone, pretending to be me - basically gushing about how I loved this guy and wanted him to take me to a dance, etc, etc. The next day I couldn't figure out why everyone was laughing at me and making stupid comments about me and this guy. You were the only person who had the guts to come tell me what had happened and why they were being so mean. Thank you. I will always remember you as being one of the only honest people in school.


I don't know about you but I definitely feel compelled to continue telling the truth.
However unfavorably it paints me in the eyes of those who merely listen, who never dare to hear anything but noise.