If you’ve got a valid passport, we’ve also got resorts in Rio, Paris, Rome, Cairo, and Tokyo. We’ll cover your airfare to any of the stateside ones, and we’ll cover up to a thousand dollars for the cost of international flights.”
“What’s the catch?”
“We ask that you take an hour, the morning of your second day with us, to listen to our presentation about a timeshare with us.”
“That’s it? That’s the only catch?”
“That’s the only catch!” The telemarketer didn’t hide the pleasure in his tone.
“Well, how can I say no?”
“My question exactly! So where do you want to go?”
“Hmmmm. I’ve never been to Seattle before. How about that?”
“Of course! Now I’m going to pass you on to my boss, who will verify your identity and work out the details of your trip with you. I want to thank you for your time and I hope you have a great time in Seattle.”
“Thank you!”
Chapter 2
The day after Stella received the phone call where she decided to go to Seattle, she asked her boss if she could take a week’s vacation for her planned date. She had made a point of planning her vacation far enough in the future (two months), that she knew there wouldn’t be any problems with taking the time off. She still found herself being excited when she got the formal approval for her vacation time.
The wait for the start of her vacation almost felt unbearable but two months soon passed, and before she knew it, she found herself on the four-hour-long flight to the largest city in Washington state, known for its heavy rainfall and famous musicians. She wondered if there were any bars that still played grunge music anywhere in the city, even though that artistic style had died out with the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. She found herself wondering if kids today even cared about that musical style.
She debarked from the airplane and headed towards the luggage carousel to wait for her suitcase. A young man dressed in a tuxedo held a small card with her name. She walked up to him and said, “I’m Stella.”
“Hello, Stella. My name’s Peter, and I’ll be bringing you back to the resort. Are you ready to go or are you still waiting for your luggage?”
“I’m still waiting for my luggage.”
“Very well. I’ll wait here until you’re ready.” He gestured towards a small bench near the carousel.
Peter waited patiently for Stella’s suitcase to arrive, after which she informed him that she was ready to go.
“Very well, miss. Please come this way.” He took her suitcase and walked briskly into the parking lot. When they arrived at the stretch limousine, he held the door open for her and she climbed in. He loaded her suitcase into the trunk and returned to ask, “Would you like a glass of champagne?”
“Oh, no. I don’t drink.”
“I see. Do you mind if I ask why?”
“I’ve heard too many horror stories of what can happen to people who get drunk. That’s not for me.”
“Very well. Enjoy the ride. It’ll take about 45 minutes to get to the resort, assuming normal traffic for this time of day. Make yourself comfortable.”
As the limo started moving, Stella opened the window that separated her from the driver, leaned forward, and asked, “Do you actually work at the resort?”
“Yes, ma’am, my official responsibility is with guest services.”
“Is it as great a place as the guy who called me a couple of months ago made it sound?”
“I’ve never worked at a place that treats me better as a person or as a worker.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If you weren’t a customer I’d almost recommend applying for a job with us. But officially, I’m not allowed to do that. Unofficially, though, there’s no shortage of people who work there who started out as customers like you. And there are some customers who’ve been lucky enough to meet certain …
“What’s the catch?”
“We ask that you take an hour, the morning of your second day with us, to listen to our presentation about a timeshare with us.”
“That’s it? That’s the only catch?”
“That’s the only catch!” The telemarketer didn’t hide the pleasure in his tone.
“Well, how can I say no?”
“My question exactly! So where do you want to go?”
“Hmmmm. I’ve never been to Seattle before. How about that?”
“Of course! Now I’m going to pass you on to my boss, who will verify your identity and work out the details of your trip with you. I want to thank you for your time and I hope you have a great time in Seattle.”
“Thank you!”
Chapter 2
The day after Stella received the phone call where she decided to go to Seattle, she asked her boss if she could take a week’s vacation for her planned date. She had made a point of planning her vacation far enough in the future (two months), that she knew there wouldn’t be any problems with taking the time off. She still found herself being excited when she got the formal approval for her vacation time.
The wait for the start of her vacation almost felt unbearable but two months soon passed, and before she knew it, she found herself on the four-hour-long flight to the largest city in Washington state, known for its heavy rainfall and famous musicians. She wondered if there were any bars that still played grunge music anywhere in the city, even though that artistic style had died out with the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. She found herself wondering if kids today even cared about that musical style.
She debarked from the airplane and headed towards the luggage carousel to wait for her suitcase. A young man dressed in a tuxedo held a small card with her name. She walked up to him and said, “I’m Stella.”
“Hello, Stella. My name’s Peter, and I’ll be bringing you back to the resort. Are you ready to go or are you still waiting for your luggage?”
“I’m still waiting for my luggage.”
“Very well. I’ll wait here until you’re ready.” He gestured towards a small bench near the carousel.
Peter waited patiently for Stella’s suitcase to arrive, after which she informed him that she was ready to go.
“Very well, miss. Please come this way.” He took her suitcase and walked briskly into the parking lot. When they arrived at the stretch limousine, he held the door open for her and she climbed in. He loaded her suitcase into the trunk and returned to ask, “Would you like a glass of champagne?”
“Oh, no. I don’t drink.”
“I see. Do you mind if I ask why?”
“I’ve heard too many horror stories of what can happen to people who get drunk. That’s not for me.”
“Very well. Enjoy the ride. It’ll take about 45 minutes to get to the resort, assuming normal traffic for this time of day. Make yourself comfortable.”
As the limo started moving, Stella opened the window that separated her from the driver, leaned forward, and asked, “Do you actually work at the resort?”
“Yes, ma’am, my official responsibility is with guest services.”
“Is it as great a place as the guy who called me a couple of months ago made it sound?”
“I’ve never worked at a place that treats me better as a person or as a worker.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If you weren’t a customer I’d almost recommend applying for a job with us. But officially, I’m not allowed to do that. Unofficially, though, there’s no shortage of people who work there who started out as customers like you. And there are some customers who’ve been lucky enough to meet certain …