Walter guided the car through another bend.
"Why didn't you stop when you realized that?"
Daniel was quiet for a long time.
"Because the behavior worked."
Walter glanced at him.
"Did it?"
Daniel frowned.
"I made more sales."
"That isn't what I asked."
Daniel looked out at the road.
After a moment, he answered.
"No. Not really."
Walter eased the car onto a safe overlook and brought it to a stop.
The hills stretched toward the horizon, their slopes dotted with houses and patches of dry grass. In the distance, the city shimmered beneath the afternoon sun.
Walter switched off the engine.
"Daniel, I want to tell you about a mistake I made a long time ago."
The salesman turned toward him.
"I was working on a vehicle prototype. It was expensive, complicated, and months behind schedule. I had a team of engineers who believed we needed more testing before the car went into production."
"What happened?"
"I told them we didn't have time. I thought I understood the problem better than they did. I pushed the project forward."
Walter looked toward the hills.
"The prototype passed the first round of tests. Everyone congratulated me. I thought I'd made the right decision."
He paused.
"Then a critical component failed during a later test. Nobody was hurt, but the project had to be stopped. We lost months of work and a great deal of money."
Daniel listened closely.
"What did you do?"
"I blamed the schedule. I blamed the budget. I blamed the people who had warned me."
Walter turned toward him.
"Eventually, I realized the problem wasn't that I had too little time. It was that I had decided the people around me weren't worth listening to."
Daniel lowered his eyes.
Walter continued.
"Your mistake this morning was similar. You decided you knew who I was before I had the chance to tell you."
Daniel's voice was barely audible.
"I'm sorry."
Walter nodded.
"I believe you."
The words seemed to surprise Daniel.
Walter continued.
"But an apology is only the beginning. What matters is what you do when the next person walks through that door."
Daniel looked at him.
"What if I don't get another chance?"
"Then you learn from the chance you had."
For a moment, neither man spoke.
Then Robert's voice came from the back seat.
"Mr. Hayes, the vehicle's temperature readings are stable. The cooling system appears to be performing within the expected range."
Walter smiled.
"Good. Let's head back."
He restarted the engine.
As they drove toward the dealership, Daniel sat quietly, watching the road ahead.
For the first time in years, he wasn't thinking about commissions.
He was thinking about the man beside him.
And about how little he had understood when he first saw that brown coat.
Chapter Six: The Decision
When the car returned to the showroom, the board members were waiting in the executive lounge.
Catherine greeted Walter as he stepped inside.
"How was the drive?"
"Very good. The vehicle performed well under the conditions we tested."
Robert handed her the diagnostic summary.
"I've reviewed the readings. Everything appears normal."
Richard nodded.
"Excellent."
Walter placed his cowboy hat on the table.
"Now, before we discuss anything else, I'd like to know what will happen to Daniel."
Catherine glanced at Richard.
"The company will complete its review. We won't make a decision based solely on this morning's incident, but his conduct was serious."
Walter nodded.
"That seems fair."
Daniel stood near the doorway.
"I understand, Mr. Hayes."
Walter turned toward him.
"Do you have anything you'd like to say before we finish?"
Daniel took a breath.
"Yes."
He stepped forward.
"I want to apologize again, but not because of who you are. I want to apologize because I treated you badly when I had no reason to."
His voice trembled slightly.
"I judged your coat, your boots, and your hat. I assumed I knew what you could afford. Then I tried to force you out when you wouldn't accept my judgment."
He paused.
"I've spent years telling myself that being a good salesman means knowing how to read people. Today, I realized that I was just making assumptions and calling them experience."
Walter studied him.
Daniel continued.
"I can't undo what happened. But if I get another opportunity to work with customers, I'll do things differently."
Richard folded his hands.
"That's a meaningful statement, Mr. Mercer. The review will proceed, and we'll consider your response."
Daniel nodded.
"Thank you."
He turned toward the door.
Before he could leave, Walter spoke.
"Daniel."
The salesman stopped.
"Yes, sir?"
"Come here for a moment."
Daniel returned to the table.
Walter reached into the inside pocket of his brown coat and removed a small business card. He placed it in front of Daniel.
The card was simple, printed on thick cream-colored paper.
It carried a name, a telephone number, and a company logo.
Daniel read it.
Then he looked up, bewildered.
"Hayes Automotive Engineering?"
Walter nodded.
"That's my consulting firm."
Daniel stared at the card.
Catherine smiled faintly.
Richard looked down at the table, hiding an expression of amusement.
Walter continued.
"We work with manufacturers to evaluate vehicle performance, manufacturing quality, and long-term reliability. We also advise companies on customer experience."
Daniel looked at the card again.
"You're the Walter Hayes?"
Walter raised an eyebrow.
"How many Walter Hayeses do you know who ask about cooling systems?"
A few people in the room laughed softly.
Daniel did not.