Day 108: Pride Goes Before a Fall

It would be much too long for me to write the whole story, so here is the summarized version, separated into segments, of what I am planning to write.

The Radio Shack that Manager Zhou runs offers lower prices than other Radio Shacks, but that could be because he gets his products from the black market and can sell them cheaper.  They could be more prone to break though.  This is just a rumor though, perhaps created from the Best Buy a few streets down.

Manager Zhou had all sorts of tactics to convince James to come in.  There was a loud bugle noise as the door opened.  Manager Zhou passed out coupons and offered free items (such as batteries) if you bought something. James wasn't interested in the sale but did see Manager Zhou was hiring.  He asked how much he paid and then took the job.  Xin Dezhi, the cell phone guy, used to work at the store but had gotten demoted. 

James worked hard for a while, pulling extra shifts, talked politely to all the customers who came in, and pulled in large sales of laptops, televisions, cameras, and gaming systems and other kids' toys, which propels himself above the other employees there.  He even becomes friends with his regular customers, including a young pre-teen named Lily.  She is going with her class to a field trip to Columbia in a couple of months, and she plans on making videos and taking pictures.  James helps her select the right camera and she comes in periodically to purchase accessories and programs that would help her.  She wants to practice with it, so she is an expert for her trip.

A few months later, a lovely young woman wearing a cheerful pale yellow dress came into the store.  James was nice to her and seemed to connect with her.  He called her Pila, which is Hindi for yellow, since she wouldn't reveal her name and he was Hindi.  Pila was lost in life and wanted to find something that would satisfy her.  Manager Zhou thought a woman working at the store would increase sales, so he hired her.

James felt a little threatened.  Pila was getting all the attention, but James continued to work hard, hoping it would all work out.  Then Pila started to become friends with his customers, the ones he had worked so hard to build a relationship with, including Lily.

Manager Zhou decides to hold a contest to pick his new vice manager.  Manager Zhou hadn't needed one, but now his business was growing so much that he needed someone to help him while he spent time opening another store at the other side of town.  Whoever brought in the most sales by the end of next month would get the position.

Pila, somewhat quiet, honest, and enjoyed meditations, drew customers to her with her sincerity and beauty.  James starts to take matters into his own hands to make sure he gets the position.  He pays Xin Dezhi to tell people to look for him in the store.  He approaches a different family member and tries to convince them to buy something so they share the sales.  When that still doesn't work, he resorts to telling people to shop somewhere else.  If he can't get the sales, at least she wouldn't be able to.  His plan starts working.  He checks the log and sees that he is winning.

The day before the contest ends, when Lily is in the store, James tells another customer to shop somewhere else for a better camera, the one that Lily bought.  She hears this and approaches James, asking him why he lied, wondering if the camera she bought had been faulty too.  James denies it and says he wouldn't lie to her.  She believes him and says he shouldn't lie.  Her mother taught her lying is wrong.  She should do the best in everything she does.  The satisfaction she gets from doing right is its own reward.  James tells the customer the truth, and he checks out with Pila.  James is good for the rest of the day, gets a few customers on his own, but Pila ends up selling a TV on the last minute while he is busy with other customers.  This makes Pila win.

James decides to quit, not because he is a sore loser, but he is tired of having to work in that kind of climate.  He does have some money saved, and he has a clear conscience.