Post by Merced LifeWriting Class on Aug 9, 2009 16:37:41 GMT -8
February 2, 2009
My dear grand children.
I don’t think I ever told you about my experience in New York selling Stanley Home Products. It was around 1954 my son Paul was a baby and it was very difficult to get along on one salary so I just had to find a way to make some money to supplement Papa’s salary of $ 75.- per week.
Stanley Home Products was an outfit similar to the Fuller Brush Company but instead of selling door to door we had to find people willing to invite their friends , organize a party so we could show them our products and take orders. Naturally the hostess always received a gift but the most difficult part was to find three new prospects willing to invite me to their homes.
First I had to go through a rigorous training, learn about all the products. They consisted from mops , brooms to all kind of brushes , cleaning products even shampoos and laundry soap. I had to attend a few parties to learn how to play games with the guests and how to sell and most importantly how to collect the money. When I “ graduated “ they gave me a big luggage type box with all the samples in it and I was on my way.
The first parties were in my neighborhood .That seemed easy because I knew a lot of people but after a while I ran out of prospects and had to start to look for new costumers. One of my friends suggested to go in Manhattan to a place called Spanish Harlem inhabited by Puerto Ricans where I could use my Spanish knowledge. Luckily my friend Nettie would baby sit Paul in the mornings when I would go canvas the apartment buildings and make my appointments for the week.
I had no fear, I felt determined and invincible, in the evenings I would go by subway with my heavy black luggage ready to put on a show and sell my products. In those days it was safe to circulate by subway and I never had a bad experience. The Puerto Ricans I visited were always friendly and polite only once I had a strange thing happen. I decided to take my sister in law Lucy with me, as we entered the apartment there was a big crowd much larger than usual. The lady of the house greeted us and said that they will have a religious meeting before the party. Lucy and I sat in a corner quietly when all of a sudden a women started to talk in a strange language and was in a trance .The whole group was screaming and we were really scared ready to leave .A few minutes after everything calmed down and I was able to do a very successful presentation and sell a lot of merchandise.
Once the products were sold I had to deliver them by subway. We had no car at that time and Papa would come on Saturday mornings and help me. I did this for over a year at that point I decided to go to beauty school.
It was not easy but worth it .Life is a school one is always learning. What I learned from this experience is that honest work is not demeaning. It made me a better and more understanding person.
My dear Grandchildren I wanted you to know that life at times is difficult
but this is the only way we can appreciate when things are good.