The rest of the story!
We came up with a way to teach the store clerk how to be humble. My friend Mike pretended to be an expert in the fashion business, and I pretended to be a customer. The store clerk thought we were real because we were so good at our parts.
The crushing blow came from Mike just as she was beginning to feel better. He told her, “You’re not what we’re looking for,” in a strong but polite voice. I could tell the shop clerk was shocked and embarrassed by the look on her face.
“You know who would be great for this campaign?” Mike asked me as we walked out of the store. “Emma is your wife.” That made Emma feel better about herself again. She understood that the store clerk’s mean comments were only a sign of her own nervousness.
She didn’t need the job to feel important in the end. No matter what other people thought, she knew she deserved love and respect. While we were leaving the store, I couldn’t help but be proud of my wife for sticking up for herself and not letting anyone else tell her how valuable she was.
