John was a clerk in a small drugstore, but he was not much of a salesman. He could never find the item the customer wanted. Bob, the owner, had had enough and warned John that the next sale he missed would be his last. Just then, a man came in coughing and asked John for their best cough syrup. Try as he might, John could not find the cough syrup. Remembering Bob’s warning, he sold the man a box of Ex-Lax and told him to take it all at once. The customer did as John said and then walked outside and leaned against a lamp post. Bob had seen the whole thing and came over to ask John what had transpired. “He wanted something for his cough, but I couldn’t find the cough syrup. I substituted Ex-Lax and told him to take it all at once,” John explained. “Ex-Lax won’t cure a cough!” Bob shouted angrily. “Sure it will,” John said, pointing at the man leaning on the lamp post. “Just look at him. He’s afraid to cough!”
