Two Cards for a Nickel

Two cards for a nickel¹.

What do you think brought success² in this story?

A travelling salesman³ went to an area, where he knew, of one prominent⁴ industrialist⁵, with whom the salesman really wanted to establish⁶ business relations⁷, but it was difficult to make an appointment⁸ with him. Entering the industrialist’s office, the salesman gave his card to the secretary. The secretary took the card to her boss and through⁹ a partly¹⁰ opened door the salesman saw that the executive¹¹ tore it in half¹² & threw¹³ it into the waste basket. The secretary returned and stated¹⁴ that her boss would not see him.

            "May I have my card back?" asked the salesman. Slightly¹⁵ embarrassed¹⁶, the secretary reported to her superior¹⁷ who sent her back out again with a nickel and a message that he was sorry, but the card had been destroyed¹⁸. More than equal to the occasion¹⁹, the salesman got another card from his wallet and gave it to girl. "Take this back to him," he said, "and tell him, I sell two cards for a nickel."

            He got his meeting with the industrialist and he got his order²⁰.

1.       nickel – монета в пять центов

2.       success – успех

3.       salesman – торговец, продавец

4.       prominent –видный, выдающийся

5.       industrialist – промышленник, предприниматель

6.       establish – установить

7.       business relations – деловые отношения

8.       to make an appointment – назначить встречу

9.       through – через

10.   partly – частично

11.   executive – руководитель

12.   tore it in half – разорвал наполовину

13.   threw (to throw) – выбросил

14.   stated (to state) – заявила

15.   slightly – немного

16.    embarrassed – смущенный

17.   superior – начальник

18.   destroyed (to destroy) – уничтожать, разрушать

19.   more than equal to the occasion (дословно: более чем равен положению) – не растерявшись, смекнув

20.   order – заказ